Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School is performing at the expected standard overall, with most areas—attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing—judged as expected. Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have improved the curriculum since the previous inspection by setting clear end points, and pupils benefit from a broad, well-considered curriculum. Attendance is well managed, behaviour is generally positive, and pupils feel safe and supported. The main area of concern is achievement, which needs attention. Historic attainment by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics has been below national averages, and older pupils have not consistently secured the knowledge needed for secondary school, particularly in mathematics and writing. Disadvantaged pupils also perform well below their non-disadvantaged peers nationally. However, recent curriculum changes are helping current pupils, especially younger ones, to build stronger foundations, and pupils with SEND and other barriers generally learn well. The school serves a deprived area with above-average free school meals. Leaders are visible, support families, and have a clear understanding of strengths and areas to develop. Next steps focus on consistent implementation of the new writing curriculum, closing historic gaps in mathematics and writing, and ensuring teachers provide the resources pupils need for new mathematical concepts.

Strengths

• Strong attendance strategies and close monitoring reduce persistent absence.
• Pupils generally behave well and have positive attitudes to learning.
• Broad and well-considered curriculum with clear end points.
• Well-trained teachers and specialist support build subject expertise.
• Reading is a high priority with effective teaching of essential skills.
• Inclusive culture where pupils feel they belong and are supported.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and those with English as an additional language.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding well for disadvantaged pupils.
• Strong personal development programme covering safety, relationships, and British values.
• Pupils have a deep knowledge of online safety.
• Leaders are visible, supportive, and prioritise pupil wellbeing.
• Governors are knowledgeable and hold leaders to account.
• Safeguarding standards are met.
• Wide range of clubs, sports, and outdoor learning opportunities.

Areas for Improvement

• Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 has been below national averages.
• Older pupils have not secured the knowledge needed for the next stage of education.
• Persistent gaps in mathematics and writing hinder progress across the curriculum.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is well below national non-disadvantaged averages.
• The new writing curriculum is not yet implemented consistently by all staff.
• Teachers do not always provide the resources pupils need to tackle new mathematical concepts.
• Pupils are not as well prepared for secondary school as they should be.

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 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.8% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School had 21.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.1% 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, 16.4% of pupils at Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% 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 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School received £7,388 and spent £7,612 for each of its 281 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £164,000 (£585 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 Preston · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School is Needs attention, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School have?

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School has 281 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School cover?

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 49% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School?

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School is at Emerson Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 5SN.