St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School is a warm, caring and inclusive school where pupils are happy, feel safe and achieve well. Inspectors found strong provision across the inspected areas, with pupils showing positive attitudes, calm and purposeful behaviour, and good engagement in learning. The school has high expectations and has built a well-structured, ambitious curriculum, although in a few subjects the key knowledge, vocabulary and skills are not yet defined and sequenced precisely enough, which limits how securely some pupils build and recall their learning. Reading is a clear strength, with a strong book culture and effective phonics support that helps pupils become confident readers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported, including through the school’s SEN unit, and the school’s inclusive approach helps them achieve alongside their peers. Attendance is improving, personal development is well provided for, and staff benefit from a positive culture with considered support for workload. Governors know the school well and provide effective challenge and support, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Some teachers have gaps in subject-specific knowledge in a few subjects, which can affect how well the curriculum is delivered. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection. The school is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic primary with provision for two-year-old children and a SEN unit for key stage 2 pupils with speech, communication and language needs. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade was awarded, but the school was judged good in each inspected area.

Strengths

• Warm, caring and welcoming ethos for all pupils
• High expectations for pupils’ achievement
• Pupils are happy, feel safe and are well supported
• Pupils have positive attitudes and are keen to learn
• Pupils behave well, creating a calm and purposeful atmosphere
• Well-resourced outdoor environment supports engagement and learning
• Well-structured and ambitious curriculum, including for pupils with SEND
• Effective assessment in many subjects helps pupils build knowledge securely
• Reading has a high profile and pupils benefit from a strong reading culture
• Phonics is taught early and struggling readers receive effective support
• Highly inclusive provision, including tailored support in the SEN unit
• Effective behaviour routines support high expectations
• Attendance is a high priority and is improving
• Well-being hub supports pupils’ personal development and empathy
• Pupil roles and responsibilities are valued by older pupils
• Positive staff culture with considered support for workload
• Governors know the school well and provide effective challenge and support
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, important knowledge, vocabulary and skills are not clearly defined or sequenced, so some pupils do not retain and recall learning as well as they could
• In some subjects, gaps in teachers’ subject-specific knowledge mean the curriculum is not always delivered as well as it could be

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 Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School attended 87.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 34.6% 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, 5.3% of pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic 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 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 48.1% 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, 13.1% of pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 4 pupils.

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 Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School received £10,630 and spent £10,203 for each of its 143 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £126,000 (£882 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 Skelmersdale · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School have?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School has 145 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School cover?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 7% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School is at Blakehall, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 9AZ.