Schools by area › Lancashire › St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Sponsored academy
Tong Lane, Bacup OL13 9LJ · stmarysbacup.org · 01706 873123
On the mapSearch near OL13 9LJ
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Apr 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 15%
- 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
- 94
- 45% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 75.5%
- First language not English
- 8.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 5 families put the school first and 5 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 21 | 18 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 15% 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
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼15% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼99 | 106 | ||
| ▼96 | 105 | ||
| ▼97 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 119662)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy on 14 April 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 14 Apr 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Inadequate, graded inspection, Apr 2024
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 119662), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
- May 2025Monitoring visitEffective action
- Dec 2024Monitoring visitEffective action
Apr 2024Inadequate
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Not effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2018Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119662)
Jun 2016Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119662)
Mar 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119662)