Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School, Preston
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Preston. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 106 schools in Preston with published results, and 172nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School in detail
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Our vision is to be an excellent Church of England school which is forward thinking and strives for continual development. We seek to support all our children in knowing that they are loved by God and encourage them in reaching their full potential academically, physically and spiritually."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, tennis, athletics, multi-sports, judo, drama, gardening and sewing.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (93% in reading, 100% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 11 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School are St Mary and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Garstang (0.5 miles); Garstang Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 91% maths); Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 90% maths); and Nateby Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths).
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Mary and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, GarstangGarstang Community Primary SchoolKirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolNateby Primary School
What parents say
64 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Who goes there
6.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 7 (2.7%) 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 specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Health Centre (by), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 33 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is an outstanding school where every child is encouraged to love learning and develop into kind, confident individuals. The school offers exceptional support for early language development alongside a carefully planned curriculum, meaning children make excellent progress from age two onwards. Pupils benefit from a warm, caring community where serving others is celebrated and leadership opportunities help them develop into thoughtful, well-rounded young people.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum that builds seamlessly from nursery to year 6 with exceptional support for speech and language development
- Impeccable behaviour and positive attitudes, with pupils demonstrating remarkable kindness and self-organisation from a very young age
- Highly effective early reading teaching with swift support for those who fall behind, so pupils leave key stage 1 as confident readers
- Excellent provision for pupils with SEND and emotional needs, enabling them to make excellent progress
- Strong focus on 'joyful serving' and community involvement, helping pupils develop empathy and aspiration to make a difference
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and leaders create an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Extensive range of trips and clubs, radio broadcast at lunchtimes, leadership roles supporting younger pupils, sporting activities, creative opportunities
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils love learning and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. The school has exceptionally high expectations from age two onwards, with pupils achieving highly across all areas.
At a Glance
6.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
64 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 93% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 94% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.9
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.8
KS2
8
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Term dates
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 11 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
214 pupils
210 places
4 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
11.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
257
Total Pupils
127
Boys
130
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
23.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,483
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,974
Per pupil
£1175k
Total funding
£29k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
4.3%
Persistent absence
187
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School average 30.9 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School has around 257 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 4.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 11 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School?
Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is at Kepple Lane, Garstang, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 1PB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)