Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School

Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School is a welcoming, happy school where pupils feel safe and cared for. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and it remains a Good school: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision were all judged Good. Pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported and typically achieve well across a broad curriculum; reading is a particular strength, and Year 6 pupils are well prepared for secondary school. The school has improved curriculum clarity since the previous inspection, with staff generally using appropriate resources and checks on understanding. Pupils benefit from strong personal development, including online safety, respect for difference and preparation for life in modern Britain. Attendance is a strong focus, safeguarding is effective, and staff and governors are well supported. However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum monitoring is not used effectively enough to identify and address weaknesses, so the curriculum is occasionally not delivered as intended. Some staff are less confident in supporting pupils who struggle to follow classroom rules and routines, which can lead to low-level disruption, particularly in key stage 1, and interrupt learning.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, feel safe and have positive relationships with staff and each other.
• Kind, nurturing staff care well for pupils and help them feel valued.
• The school's 'let everyone shine' motto is reflected in an inclusive and supportive culture.
• High expectations apply to all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Pupils typically achieve well across a broad range of subjects and are well prepared for secondary school.
• Curriculum clarity has improved in key stages 1 and 2 and in the early years.
• Staff generally explain new concepts clearly and use a range of strategies to check understanding.
• Reading is at the heart of the curriculum, with well-matched books and effective phonics support.
• Pupils with SEND are identified effectively and well supported to access the curriculum.
• Attendance is a strong focus, with effective work with families when absence rises.
• Most pupils behave sensibly and respond well to praise and rewards.
• Pupils take pride in responsibilities such as buddies and worship monitors and value charity fundraising.
• Personal development is strong, including online safety, respect for different faiths and cultures, and preparation for modern Britain.
• Staff are happy and proud to work at the school, and leaders are considerate of workload and wellbeing.
• Governors support the school well and are well informed about the curriculum.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, curriculum monitoring and evaluation are not effective enough to identify and address weaknesses promptly.
• Some curriculum content is occasionally not delivered as intended, which hinders pupils' learning.
• Some staff are not confident in supporting pupils who need help to follow classroom rules and routines.
• Low-level disruption is not addressed consistently well in some lessons, particularly in key stage 1, interrupting learning.

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 Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School attended 94.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.0% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Lea Neeld's Endowed 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 Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 18.8% of pupils at Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.7% 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 Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School received £7,350 and spent £7,457 for each of its 138 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£195 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 Preston · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School have?

Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School has 138 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School cover?

Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School?

Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary School is at Lea Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 0RA.