Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School, Accrington

Ofsted's report card from its inspection grades Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 2 expected standard, 4 needs attention and 1 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders take effective action to help pupils to attend well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a suitable personal, social, health and economic curriculum."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over time, too many pupils have not secured the important foundations in writing, reading and mathematics."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Over time, many pupils have not secured the important foundations in reading, writing and mathematics that they need."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Most disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not achieve as well as they should."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Those who are responsible for governance fulfil their statutory duties."

Early years - Urgent improvement. "Since the previous inspection, leaders have begun to redesign the early years curriculum so that it is more ambitious."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to refine the early years curriculum so that staff consistently support children to develop the depth of knowledge needed for the Year 1 curriculum"; "Those responsible for governance should ensure that they have an accurate view of the standard of education in the school and challenge leaders more effectively in achieving their priorities"; "Leaders should make sure that the curriculum identifies the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and that teachers develop the expertise needed to deliver the curriculum consistently so that pupils achieve well, particularly in handwriting across year groups"; "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is adapted sufficiently and that their knowledge about the effectiveness of strategies to reduce gaps in pupils' learning improves, so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils achieve well".

The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care until 4:30pm, from £1.00 per session.

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 53% in reading and 47% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 21 families put Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 77 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School are Accrington St John with St Augustine Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 52% reading, 48% maths); Accrington Hyndburn Park Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 57% reading, 52% maths); Accrington Peel Park Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 63% reading, 72% maths); and Accrington Benjamin Hargreaves Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles, 78% reading, 74% maths).

Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

47.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 29% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (60%) and Asian (30%).

In 2026, 33 pupils (18.8%) received SEN support and 5 (2.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Accrington Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is York Place (by), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 504 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 2.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Accrington St Mary Magdalen's Church of England Primary School are Accrington Academy (0.3 miles); Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School (0.4 miles); Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn (1 mile); and The Hollins (1.5 miles).