Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School is a smaller-than-average Church of England primary in the Diocese of Blackburn. This was a full section 5 inspection. Inspectors found the school performing strongly in most areas, with pupils achieving very well in reading, writing and mathematics and attainment significantly above national averages. Attendance is high, behaviour is commendable, and the early years provision is warm, nurturing and effective. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported, and safeguarding standards are met. The school serves a relatively low-deprivation community with low proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and SEN support. The main strengths are the quality of the curriculum, teaching, early years provision, inclusion and pupils' personal development. Pupils are confident, kind and respectful, and they benefit from a broad, well-sequenced curriculum enriched by community links. Staff are proud to work at the school, and parents are highly positive. Leaders have created a happy, inclusive culture where pupils feel safe and belong. The key areas for development concern leadership and governance. Governors do not have the same depth of oversight of curriculum subjects beyond English and mathematics, and they do not consistently check that spending, including pupil premium funding, is having the desired impact on vulnerable pupils. Professional development needs to have a more sustained and widespread impact, and early handwriting guidance is not yet fully embedded. Published data also shows disadvantaged pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is well below national averages, with large disadvantage gaps.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2, with results significantly above national averages.
• Basic skills in early reading and mathematics are acquired quickly and built on successfully across year groups.
• Attendance is high, with absence and persistent absence rates well below national averages.
• Pupils' behaviour and conduct are commendable, showing kindness, respect and a positive attitude to learning.
• The curriculum is expertly designed and well sequenced, enriched by effective links with the local community.
• Teaching of basic skills is effective, and staff consistently teach other subjects well.
• Staff benefit from a coherent professional development programme that builds secure subject knowledge.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported through skilful adaptation, personalised targets and strong inclusion systems.
• The early years provision is warm and nurturing, with children flourishing academically and emotionally.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively to improve attendance and support disadvantaged pupils.
• Personal development is carefully planned, promoting wellbeing, British values, online safety and preparation for modern Britain.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and prompt action on concerns.
• Pupils feel safe, included and valued, and bullying is dealt with robustly.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and parents hold it in high regard.

Areas for Improvement

• Governors do not have the same depth of oversight of curriculum quality in subjects beyond English and mathematics.
• Governors do not consistently assure themselves that spending, including pupil premium funding, is having the desired impact on vulnerable pupils' achievement.
• Professional development requires enhancement so that it has a sustained and widespread impact across all areas of the school's work.
• Early handwriting guidance is relatively new and not yet fully embedded.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is well below national averages, with large disadvantage gaps.

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 Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School attended 96.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.1% 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 Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, 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 Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School had 22.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.9% 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, 10.4% of pupils at Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, 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 Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School received £6,464 and spent £6,583 for each of its 201 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£133 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 Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School have?

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School has 201 pupils on roll.

What age range does Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School cover?

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School?

Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School is at Shady Lane, Slyne-with-Hest, Slyne-With-Hest St Luke's Ceps, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA2 6JL.