St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch

St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch is a happy, caring school where pupils thrive. Inspectors found it outstanding in every judged area, with highly ambitious curriculum, excellent behaviour, exceptional personal development and strong leadership. Pupils benefit from caring relationships, a calm atmosphere and a curriculum that starts strongly in the early years and prepares them well for each stage of education. The school is particularly effective in mixed-age classes, identifies and supports pupils with SEND promptly, and prioritises language, communication and reading. Pupils are highly motivated, respectful and involved in school life, with extensive clubs, responsibilities and community activities. Governance is strong, safeguarding is effective, and staff well-being is considered. Parents hold the school in very high regard. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, following a long period of exemption after its previous outstanding judgement. No areas for improvement were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum designed effectively for mixed-age classes
• Pupils behave exceptionally well and are consistently respectful and kind
• Exceptional personal development with extensive extracurricular opportunities
• Strong early years provision that prepares children well for Year 1
• Staff have strong subject knowledge and promptly address gaps or misconceptions
• Pupils with SEND are identified promptly and supported effectively
• Strong focus on language, communication and reading
• Governors provide effective challenge and support and have an accurate view of the school
• Pupils are highly motivated, resilient and know how to stay safe
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Staff well-being is well considered and parents hold the school in very high regard

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 Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch attended 96.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.2% 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 St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch 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 Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch had 23.0 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, 17.1% of pupils at St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch 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 Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch received £7,418 and spent £7,737 for each of its 152 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £82,000 (£540 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 Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch last inspected by Ofsted?

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch have?

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch has 152 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch cover?

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

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

Where is St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch?

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Newchurch is at St Peter's Road, Newchurch, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 9EZ.