St Luke's RC Primary School

St Luke's RC Primary School is a larger-than-average Roman Catholic voluntary-aided school in Salford, part of the Diocese of Salford. It serves a relatively affluent community, with low levels of free school meals but a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with SEN support. Inspectors found the school's overall effectiveness to be strong standard, with inspection judgements overall at expected standard. Early years provision is a notable strength, rated strong standard, while achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing are all expected standard. The school is a caring and inclusive environment where pupils are happy and behave well. Early years children make an excellent start, with high-quality interactions and a well-sequenced curriculum that prioritises reading and writing. Pupils' attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and disadvantaged pupils' attendance has improved to above national averages. Leaders know the school well, governance is effective, and staff feel well supported. Personal development is a strength, with pupils taking on responsibilities and learning about safety, relationships and British values. However, there are areas for improvement. Teaching quality varies occasionally, with checks on learning not always systematic, meaning misconceptions are not always identified or addressed quickly. Staff do not consistently reinforce accurate spelling, grammar and handwriting. Additionally, opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural awareness are too few. Historic writing results were below national averages, though current pupils' writing is improving.

Strengths

• Early years provision is precisely matched to children's ages and abilities, including for disadvantaged and SEND children.
• High-quality interactions develop children's communication and language effectively.
• Reading and phonics are prioritised from the start, with well-matched books and precise modelling.
• Pupils' behaviour is very positive; they are calm, attentive and cooperative.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attendance has improved to above national averages following effective intervention.
• Leaders accurately identify and support pupils with SEND, disadvantage and social care needs.
• Governors have effective methods for assuring themselves of the school's impact.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and value the consideration for their wellbeing.
• Personal development is strong, with pupils taking on helpful roles and learning about safety and relationships.
• The school provides effective pastoral support and a range of extra-curricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Some variability in curriculum teaching, with checks on learning not always systematic.
• Teachers do not always identify misconceptions or adjust teaching quickly enough.
• Staff do not consistently reinforce accurate spelling, grammar and handwriting.
• Too few opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural awareness.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Luke's RC Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.5% of pupils at St Luke's RC Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Luke's RC Primary School had 23.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 22.8% of pupils at St Luke's RC Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Luke's RC Primary School received £5,921 and spent £5,963 for each of its 421 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £187,000 (£443 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Salford · Salford local authority: places and applications

What is St Luke's RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Luke's RC Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was St Luke's RC Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Luke's RC Primary School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does St Luke's RC Primary School have?

St Luke's RC Primary School has 421 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Luke's RC Primary School cover?

St Luke's RC Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Luke's RC Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Luke's RC Primary School?

St Luke's RC Primary School is at Swinton Park Road, Salford, Greater Manchester, M6 7WR.