Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School, Preston

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 1 expected standard and 6 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 have high expectations of pupils' attendance and have secured positive attendance rates over a sustained period."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' progress in different year groups across subjects beyond English and mathematics is variable."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Until recently, leaders have acted slowly to address the previous area for improvement related to curriculum design."

Early years - Needs attention. "Children typically attain the standard expected for their age by the time that they complete the Reception Year."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders, including governors, have let slip their oversight of the use and impact of interventions and support strategies intended to support disadvantaged pupils."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "There have been significant changes in leadership since the start of the academic year."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "Across the taught curriculum, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of the range of cultures and backgrounds represented in their country and the wider world."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that all curriculums, including in the early years, are suitably well designed and delivered, and adapted where required to suit mixed-age classes and pupils' individual needs and capabilities. • Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment strategies consistently well to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge across the full breadth of the curriculum. • Leaders should ensure that support and adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged are consistently effective so that these pupils can make suitable progress from their own starting points. • Leaders should ensure that pupils are able to develop a secure understanding of different cultures, beliefs, and fundamental British values. • Governors should improve their oversight of the school's work to provide a more rigorous level of challenge to leaders regarding the quality of education and the use of the pupil premium strategy. • Leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the necessary expertise and opportunities to evaluate their areas of responsibility well and help to drive the necessary improvements in curriculum design and delivery".

In its own words: "Hoole St Michael Church of England Primary is a happy, friendly school with our children’s best interests at the heart of everything we do. We work hard to ensure that every child is successful in the key areas of English and Maths and we are keen to see this recognised in the results they secure."

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 90% 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, 87% in maths).

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

For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School as their first choice and 23 named it as one of their preferences, for 7 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 Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School are Tarleton Community Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); Tarleton Holy Trinity CofE Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 84% reading, 91% maths); Bretherton Endowed Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 89% reading, 95% maths); and Little Hoole Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 87% reading, 84% maths).

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School (as of April 2026): 83% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 7 pupils (8.6%) received SEN support and 5 (6.2%) 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 autism.

The nearest railway station is Croston Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bangla Fusion (by), 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).

Hoole St Michael CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.