Schools by area › Lancashire › St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston
St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Victoria Park Avenue, Lea, Preston PR2 1RP · st-bernards.lancs.sch.uk · 01772 728153
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Feb 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 58%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Lancashire 60%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.6
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 226
- At capacity · 226 places
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 19.3%
- First language not English
- 11.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 17 families put the school first and 28 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 | 28 | 17 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 30 | 24 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 23 | 21 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 34 | 1.1▲ | 88% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 93% |
Results
In 2024/25, 58% 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 | |||
| ▼58% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●104 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 119449)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Preston on 3 February 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 3 Feb 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
What parents said
91% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (55 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 91%
- Positive
- 83%
- Replies
- 55
- 24% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 89% who raised concerns
based on 12 parents (22%) whose child was bullied
based on 13 parents (24%) with SEND