Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School

Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School is a small, mixed-age primary where pupils behave well, feel safe and are well supported. Inspectors found the school good in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision; this was a graded inspection and, under current arrangements, no overall effectiveness grade was given. The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND, and reading and early years provision are particular strengths. Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum and wider opportunities such as clubs and charity work. Phonics is taught well, children in Reception get off to a strong start and most pupils become confident readers by the end of key stage 1. Attendance is generally good, safeguarding is effective, and governors and staff support are seen as strengths. However, in a small number of foundation subjects, some learning activities do not focus closely enough on the key knowledge in the curriculum, leaving some pupils with insecure knowledge. In other foundation subjects, gaps from a previous curriculum have not always been identified and addressed, so some pupils are less well prepared for the next stage than they could be.

Strengths

• High expectations for behaviour, with pupils who are well mannered and considerate
• Pupils feel happy and safe in school
• Ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with SEND
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, including well-chosen resources and high-quality staff training
• Strong start in reading through well-taught phonics and well-matched books
• A sharp focus on writing helps pupils learn letters accurately
• Curriculum is designed well for the school’s three mixed-age classes
• Reception children build vocabulary and personal, social and emotional skills well
• Broad range of clubs, including storytelling, jujitsu and fencing
• Opportunities to develop empathy through charitable fundraising
• Effective attendance systems and most pupils attend regularly
• Personal development prepares pupils for life beyond school, including online safety and healthy relationships
• Governors provide effective support and challenge
• Staff value support for workload and well-being
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of foundation subjects, learning activities do not focus sufficiently on key curriculum knowledge
• Some pupils’ knowledge is insecure in these subjects because activities do not build understanding well
• Gaps in pupils’ knowledge from weaknesses in the previous curriculum have not been identified and addressed
• Some pupils are less well prepared for the next stage of education in these foundation subjects

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 Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.9% 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 Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA 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 Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School had 20.6 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, 5.8% of pupils at Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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 Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School received £6,573 and spent £6,635 for each of its 103 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £61,000 (-£587 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 Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School have?

Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School has 103 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School cover?

Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School?

Heskin Pemberton's Church of England VA Primary School is at Withington Lane, Heskin, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 5LU.