Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School, inspected on 20 January 2026, demonstrates a strong performance in terms of safeguarding and attendance, creating a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and are generally happy to engage in their education. Despite this positive atmosphere, the school faces challenges in achieving consistent academic results across the wider curriculum. While pupils excel in English and mathematics, their progress in other subjects is varying, with some pupils not reaching their full potential due to a curriculum that lacks coherence and depth. Leaders have identified these issues and are beginning to make necessary improvements, but these efforts are still early in development.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met.
• Leaders have high expectations of pupil attendance.
• Pupils enjoy their learning and engage well when activities match their needs.
• The school environment is calm and orderly.
• Pupils demonstrate kindness and cooperation during social times.
• Pupils achieve well in English and mathematics, with outcomes typically aligning with national averages.
• The early years provide a nurturing atmosphere helping children settle quickly.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' progress in subjects beyond English and mathematics is variable.
• Curriculum design and delivery have been inconsistent, particularly for mixed-age classes.
• Assessment strategies are not being used effectively to address gaps in knowledge.
• The early years curriculum lacks a robust structure and coherence.
• Oversight of interventions for disadvantaged pupils has been inadequate.
• Leadership changes have hindered sustained improvement and oversight capabilities.

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 Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School attended 94.6% 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 Hoole St Michael CofE 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 Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 49.1% 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, 8.6% of pupils at Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% 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 Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School received £8,949 and spent £8,519 for each of its 81 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £64,000 (£792 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 Preston · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School have?

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School has 81 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School cover?

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School?

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School is at Liverpool Old Road, Much Hoole, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 5JQ.