St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore

St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School has transitioned from an outstanding rating to a good rating in its latest Ofsted inspection after a long gap of 11 years since the last graded inspection. This change reflects a more rigorous evaluation of the school's current practices and educational outcomes. The school is committed to providing a welcoming environment where pupils feel happy and are encouraged to develop their talents across a broad curriculum, effectively preparing them for secondary education. However, some areas, particularly in a few subjects, need further clarity in curriculum content to enhance pupils' knowledge retention and understanding.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and proud of their school.
• The school provides a welcoming environment with varied experiences.
• Strong expectations for academic achievement across a range of subjects.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Reading is prioritized with successful phonics program delivery.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent clarity in curriculum details for some subjects.
• Some pupils develop misconceptions due to unclear expectations.
• Limited understanding of faiths and cultures beyond their own.

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 Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.3% 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 Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore 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 Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore had 19.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.9% 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, 11.3% of pupils at St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.3% 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 Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore received £7,181 and spent £7,580 for each of its 150 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £72,000 (£482 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 Rossendale · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore last inspected by Ofsted?

St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore have?

St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore has 150 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore cover?

St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore?

St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore is at Raven Avenue, Helmshore, Lancashire, BB4 4EZ.