Academy converter · Lancashire

St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston

3–11Ages
226Pupils
PrimaryPhase
CatholicReligious character
149312URN

Victoria Park Avenue, Lea, Preston, PR2 1RP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.7 below Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

51 applications for 28 places · 333rd of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

58%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 3 February 2026Published 21 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years			Needs attention
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.7 below Lancashire median (2.6) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

51 applications · 28 places offered · 17 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 3.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.5; as the previous school
2021 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
2020 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2019 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
2018 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.7; as the previous school
2017 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.5; as the previous school
2016 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.6; as the previous school
2015 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.5; as the previous school
2014 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.4; as the previous school

This school
Lancashire median

Dashed bars: as St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston (URN 119449), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	28	51	1.8	17	0.61
Sep 2025	30	60	2.0	24	0.80
Sep 2024	23	72	3.1	21	0.91
Sep 2023	30	63	2.1	34	1.13
Sep 2022 *	30	70	2.3	30	1.00
Sep 2021 *	30	72	2.4	29	0.97
Sep 2020 *	30	76	2.5	43	1.43
Sep 2019 *	30	67	2.2	37	1.23
Sep 2018 *	30	80	2.7	35	1.17
Sep 2017 *	30	77	2.6	38	1.27
Sep 2016 *	30	65	2.2	24	0.80
Sep 2015 *	30	71	2.4	30	1.00
Sep 2014 *	30	70	2.3	28	0.93

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 68% · Writing 81% · Maths 87% → all three 58% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard58%270th of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard68%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard32%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard32%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	58%	0%	104	106
2023/24	63%	7%	105	107
2022/23	71%	3%	105	106

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, PrestonThis school
This school

2026

1.8applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Lea Community Primary School
0.6 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Ashton Primary School
0.9 km · Lancashire

2026

2.3applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School
1.8 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

5.4applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Lea Town
1.8 km · Lancashire

Standards maintained2024

3.4applications per place
Cottam Primary School
1.9 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.1applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Ashton-on-Ribble St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
2.0 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Ingol Community Primary School
2.1 km · Lancashire

2026

2.1applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Ingol, Preston
2.2 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.2applications per place

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 149312 · 888/3352
Trust: Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Multi-Academy Trust
Religious character: Catholic
Capacity: 226 pupils · 226 on roll
Free school meals: 19.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 December 2022
Replaced: St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston (URN 119449)
Address: Victoria Park Avenue, Lea, Preston, PR2 1RP
Local authority: Lancashire · Preston

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources