Eldon Primary School, Preston

Ofsted's report card from its 14 July 2026 inspection grades Eldon Primary School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. 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 and those responsible for governance keep a close eye on the standards of pupils' behaviour, their attendance and punctuality."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Since the previous inspection, leaders have built on the school's strengths in its curriculum and teaching."

Early years - Expected standard. "Staff in the early years, including in the Nursery class, are gentle and supportive with children."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders are experts at understanding pupils' vulnerabilities and experiences."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the previous inspection, leaders and those responsible for governance have worked with determination and diligence to turn the school around."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders think just as carefully about pupils' wider education as they do about the content and teaching of curriculum subjects."

Achievement - Needs attention. "In 2025, pupils' attainment declined and was below average."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should sharpen teachers' use of assessment information, including about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to better inform the lesson activities selected to teach the intended curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that recent improvements to the curriculum and teaching lead to all pupils attaining well over time"; "Leaders should make certain that staff in the early years use talk skilfully to support and extend children's learning of communication and language".

In 2025, 55% of Year 6 pupils at Eldon Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 90% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Eldon Primary School as their first choice and 71 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Eldon Primary School are Star Eldon Primary (under 0.1 miles); English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Preston (0.4 miles, Good, 88% reading, 72% maths); The Roebuck School (0.4 miles, Good, 53% reading, 58% maths); and The Olive School, Preston (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 95% maths).

Eldon Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.

24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Eldon Primary School (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 22% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (22%).

66.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (41%), White British (23%) and Black (16%).

In 2026, 50 pupils (20.9%) received SEN support and 7 (2.9%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trafford Street (adjacent), 180 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Eldon 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 625 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, Eldon Primary School issued 12 suspensions, 4.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Eldon Primary School are Moor Park High School (0.7 miles), Archbishop Temple Church of England High School (0.8 miles), Our Lady's Catholic High School (0.9 miles) and Corpus Christi Catholic High School (1 mile).