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St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School

Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Voluntary aided

Buller Avenue, Penwortham, Preston PR1 9QQ · st-marymagdalen.lancs.sch.uk · 01772 742351

On the mapSearch near PR1 9QQ

Overview

Ofsted
Requires improvement
2019 framework · inspected May 2024
Key stage 2, 2024/25
65%
reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Lancashire 60%, England 62%
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
Pupils
175
83% of 210 places
Local authority
Lancashire
Nursery class
Yes
Free school meals
12.6%
First language not English
20%
School census 2025/26

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Reception in September 2026, 16 families put the school first and 16 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 16 (Places 18)16September 2023: 19 (Places 20)19September 2024: 23 (Places 26)23September 2025: 20 (Places 20)20September 2026: 16 (Places 16)16Places 16
ReceptionPlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 202616161100%
September 2025Sept 202520201100%
September 2024Sept 202426230.9100%
September 2023Sept 202320191100%
September 2022Sept 202218160.9100%

Results

In 2024/25, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Lancashire it was 60%, and across England 62%.

Expected standard reading, writing and maths

2019/20 to 2021/22: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1922/2323/2424/252015/16: 62% (England 53%)62%2016/17: 75% (England 61%)75%2017/18: 70% (England 64%)70%2018/19: 83% (England 65%)83%2022/23: 43% (England 60%)43%2023/24: 67% (England 61%)67%2024/25: 65% (England 62%)65%England 62%
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
Reading, writing and maths
▲65%62%
▼0%8%
Average scaled score
●105106
●103105
●107105

Ofsted

St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School was judged Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, on 14 May 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.

Overall
Requires improvement
Inspected
14 May 2024
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationRequires improvement
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementRequires improvement
Early yearsGood

Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Feb 2019

Earlier inspections

Before September 2019

  • Feb 2019Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
    SafeguardingEffective
  • Jan 2015Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Early yearsGood
  • Apr 2009Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    Early yearsOutstanding

What parents said

80% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (25 replies, to 6 April 2026).

Recommend
80%
Replies
25
13% · 6 Apr 2026
Child is happy at school▲88% agreeEngland 84%
Child feels safe▲88% agreeEngland 85%
Pupils are well behaved▲88% agreeEngland 78%
Gets the right support to learn●80% agreeEngland 78%
School communicates well▲80% agreeEngland 77%
Acts in child’s best interests▲80% agreeEngland 76%
Concerns are dealt with properly▲78% agreeEngland 74%

based on the 92% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼40% agreeEngland 43%

based on 5 parents (20%) whose child was bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▲67% agreeEngland 63%

based on 6 parents (24%) with SEND

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