Higher Walton Church of England Primary School

Higher Walton Church of England Primary School is a small, nurturing school where pupils feel safe and behave well. Inspectors found the school performing at expected standard in most areas, with a well-designed curriculum, strong early years provision, and effective leadership and governance. Inclusion is a clear strength: pupils with SEND are well supported and generally achieve well from their starting points, and personal development is prioritised through a wide range of clubs, trips, and leadership opportunities. The school has a positive culture, good behaviour, and positive relationships with parents and the community. However, two significant areas need attention. Achievement in writing at key stage 2 is weak: some older pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have gaps in their writing knowledge, do not write fluently, and attain below national averages. Disadvantaged pupils' overall outcomes are notably low, and leaders do not monitor the impact of support for these pupils with enough precision. Attendance is also a concern, falling below national averages, particularly for disadvantaged and SEND pupils, meaning they miss important learning. Leaders are taking appropriate steps to address writing and attendance, but these improvements are at an early stage. Behaviour remains a strength, with suspensions reduced significantly and bullying rare. The school is a Church of England primary in the Diocese of Blackburn, with a small cohort of 97 pupils and a well-above-average proportion of pupils with an EHC plan.

Strengths

• Well-designed, ambitious curriculum with clear sequencing of knowledge and vocabulary.
• Effective staff training leads to confident teaching and regular checks on pupils' learning.
• Strong early years provision with a nurturing environment and consistently good phonics teaching.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported, learn alongside peers, and generally achieve well from their starting points.
• Inclusive culture welcomes and supports pupils with a range of needs, including disadvantaged pupils.
• Personal development is prioritised through effective PSHE, online safety, and healthy relationships education.
• Pupils show respect, empathy, and care for others, and take on leadership roles such as prefects and wellbeing leaders.
• Behaviour is positive: pupils play cooperatively, older pupils act as role models, and suspensions have reduced significantly.
• Bullying occurs very rarely and is addressed promptly and effectively by staff.
• Leadership and governance are effective: leaders are ambitious, governors provide strong support and challenge.
• Staff value professional development, feel proud to work at the school, and leaders consider wellbeing and workload.
• Pupils achieve well across the wider curriculum, using subject-specific vocabulary and recalling prior learning.
• A wide range of clubs, trips, and experiences broadens pupils' interests and supports personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Too many older pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have gaps in writing knowledge and do not write fluently.
• Attainment in writing at the end of key stage 2 is below national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes are significantly below national averages across reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Leaders do not evaluate the impact of support for disadvantaged pupils with enough precision, so some gaps remain unaddressed.
• Attendance is below national averages, especially for disadvantaged and SEND pupils, meaning they miss important learning.
• Leaders' actions to improve attendance have not yet secured sustained improvements in overall rates.
• Improvements to writing teaching across key stage 2 are at a relatively early stage and have not had sufficient impact.

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 Higher Walton Church of England Primary School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.0% 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, 3.1% of pupils at Higher Walton Church of England Primary 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 Higher Walton Church of England Primary School had 16.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.8% 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, 22.2% of pupils at Higher Walton Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Higher Walton Church of England Primary School received £10,387 and spent £10,554 for each of its 80 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £31,000 (-£393 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).

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What is Higher Walton Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Higher Walton Church of England Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Higher Walton Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Higher Walton Church of England Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Higher Walton Church of England Primary School have?

Higher Walton Church of England Primary School has 81 pupils on roll.

What age range does Higher Walton Church of England Primary School cover?

Higher Walton Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Higher Walton Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Higher Walton Church of England Primary School?

Higher Walton Church of England Primary School is at Rosewood Avenue, Higher Walton, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 4FE.