Anderton Primary School

Anderton Primary School has shown substantial progress since its last inspection, with an overall effectiveness now rated as good. The leadership team, which has undergone significant changes, has established high expectations and a clear direction for the school, fostering a positive learning environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The curriculum has been thoroughly revamped, promoting broad and relevant experiences that aid pupil achievement. However, some areas, particularly the early years and certain subjects, need further development to ensure comprehensive implementation and understanding.

Strengths

• Strong leadership and clear direction from the headteacher and senior leaders.
• Improvements in the quality of education since the last inspection.
• Good behavior and positive attitudes among pupils.
• Effective teaching of early reading and phonics.
• Well-prepared pupils for the next stage of their education.
• Positive relationships among pupils and staff.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Extensive opportunities for personal development and social skills.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum planning and assessment procedures in some subjects have not yet been fully embedded.
• Early years curriculum does not adequately account for children's prior learning.
• The outdoor area in early years is not utilized effectively for learning.
• Older pupils have gaps in skills related to text analysis and deeper reading comprehension.

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 Anderton Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.7% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Anderton 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 Anderton Primary School had 19.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 10.8% of pupils at Anderton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 Anderton Primary School received £7,100 and spent £6,922 for each of its 185 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £79,000 (£428 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 Chorley · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Anderton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Anderton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Anderton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Anderton Primary School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Anderton Primary School have?

Anderton Primary School has 185 pupils on roll.

What age range does Anderton Primary School cover?

Anderton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Anderton Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Anderton Primary School?

Anderton Primary School is at Babylon Lane, Adlington, Lancashire, PR6 9NN.