St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School

St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary is a calm, welcoming and inclusive school where pupils achieve well overall and are prepared for the next stage of education. This full section 5 inspection found the school meeting expected standards across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils behave well, attendance is typically in line with national averages and improving, and persistent absence is below national averages. The school's mixed-age curriculum is coherent, early years provision is strong in phonics and language development, and inclusive practice supports pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils to access the same curriculum as their peers. Personal development and wellbeing are notable strengths, supported by enrichment, pupil leadership roles, outdoor learning and tailored emotional support. There are still areas for further development. Attainment at the higher standard is variable, particularly in writing and mathematics, and recent national test outcomes were below national averages in some measures, including combined reading, writing and mathematics and mathematics. In lessons, assessment information is not always used sharply enough to address misconceptions promptly, and some activities do not build securely on pupils' prior knowledge or deepen understanding as intended. In early years, staff sometimes miss opportunities to extend vocabulary or address misconceptions. The disadvantage gap also persists, and leaders and governors do not consistently evaluate the impact of their actions with sufficient rigour and depth. The school is a Church of England primary with 280 pupils on roll, close to average free school meals eligibility and a lower-than-average proportion of pupils with EHC plans. The executive headteacher took up post in December 2025, and leaders have responded appropriately to staffing changes. Leaders act promptly when results dip, staff morale is very positive, and parents value the support provided, giving the school a sound basis for addressing the identified next steps.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well overall and leave the school prepared for their next stage of education.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
• Pupils behave well, are enthusiastic, courteous and proud of their school.
• Attendance is typically in line with national averages and improving, with persistent absence below national.
• Leaders provide a coherent, inclusive curriculum suited to the school's mixed-age classes.
• Early years provision has accurate phonics teaching and a strong focus on communication, language and early reading.
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils access the same curriculum and participate fully in school life.
• Tailored wellbeing and emotional support helps pupils feel safe, confident and ready to learn.
• Personal development is coherent and enriched through clubs, leadership roles, trips, music, sport and outdoor learning.
• Leaders, governors and staff work together effectively, with positive staff morale and trusting relationships with parents.
• Leaders act promptly when attainment dips, including improvements to number facts and mathematical fluency.

Areas for Improvement

• Attainment at the higher standard is variable, particularly in writing and mathematics.
• Recent national test outcomes in combined reading, writing and mathematics, and in mathematics, were below national averages.
• Assessment is not always used consistently enough to address misconceptions promptly.
• Teaching does not consistently help pupils embed and apply key knowledge, especially in writing, which affects accuracy.
• Some learning activities are not well matched to pupils' prior knowledge or do not deepen understanding as intended.
• In early years, delays in extending vocabulary or addressing misconceptions can limit children's depth of learning.
• The attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils persists.
• Leaders and governors do not consistently evaluate the impact of their actions with sufficient rigour and depth.

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 St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.6% 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 St James' Lanehead Church of England 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 St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School had 26.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.3% 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, 14.3% of pupils at St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.2% 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 St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School received £6,965 and spent £6,709 for each of its 279 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £158,000 (£565 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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All schools in Burnley · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School have?

St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School has 279 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School cover?

St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School?

St James' Lanehead Church of England Primary School is at Briercliffe Road, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 2NH.