Burscough Bridge Methodist School

Burscough Bridge Methodist School is a small Methodist primary with 45 pupils on roll, well below the national average, and a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with EHC plans. Safeguarding standards are met. Inspectors found the school performing at the expected standard overall, with inclusion and personal development and wellbeing as particular strengths. Leaders and staff know pupils well, identify barriers early and provide precise support that helps pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and others to progress, feel included and be well prepared for the next stage of education. Pupils are proud of the school, behave well, feel safe and benefit from strong pastoral care. Achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, and leadership and governance are all at the expected standard, and published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics have been above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. However, phonics screening outcomes are below national averages, and in some subjects pupils' work is not consistently of a high standard. Overall absence is above the national average and some pupils still do not attend regularly enough, so leaders need to promote high attendance more consistently and ensure teachers maintain consistently high expectations across the curriculum. The chair of the board of governors post is currently vacant, which is notable context for governance.

Strengths

• Inclusion is a strength, with early and accurate identification of barriers to learning and wellbeing.
• Staff have detailed knowledge of pupils and provide precise support matched to SEND and disadvantaged pupils' needs.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to support academic progress and independence.
• Personal development and wellbeing are strong, preparing pupils well for life beyond school.
• Pupils learn PSHE, respect for difference, fundamental British values and healthy relationships.
• Pupils know how to stay safe online and are confident staff will help with worries.
• Pastoral support for pupils and families is highly effective and responsive.
• Pupils behave well, have positive attitudes and lessons are calm and productive.
• Bullying is very rare, and pupils are kind, respectful and supportive of one another.
• The early years provision gives children a positive start and prepares them well for Year 1.
• The curriculum is well structured for mixed-age classes, with regular checks on what pupils know and remember.
• Leaders know the school well, prioritise improvement and are valued by staff and parents.
• Pupils achieve well overall, with outcomes above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Overall absence is above the national average.
• Some pupils still do not attend school regularly enough.
• The importance of high attendance is not consistently promoted to parents, carers and pupils.
• Phonics screening check outcomes are below national averages.
• In some subjects, some pupils' work is not of a consistently high standard.
• Teachers do not always have consistently high expectations for learning across the curriculum.

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 Burscough Bridge Methodist School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.9% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Burscough Bridge Methodist 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 Burscough Bridge Methodist School had 11.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.7% 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, 39.0% of pupils at Burscough Bridge Methodist School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 Burscough Bridge Methodist School received £12,527 and spent £11,016 for each of its 41 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £79,000 (£1,933 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 Ormskirk · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Burscough Bridge Methodist School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Burscough Bridge Methodist School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Burscough Bridge Methodist School last inspected by Ofsted?

Burscough Bridge Methodist School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Burscough Bridge Methodist School have?

Burscough Bridge Methodist School has 41 pupils on roll.

What age range does Burscough Bridge Methodist School cover?

Burscough Bridge Methodist School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Burscough Bridge Methodist School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Burscough Bridge Methodist School?

Burscough Bridge Methodist School is at Orrell Lane, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 0SG.