Lancaster University School of Mathematics, Preston
Lancaster University School of Mathematics is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 19 in Preston, part of The Rigby Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Lancaster University School of Mathematics in detail
Lancaster University School of Mathematics in its own words
In its own words: "A sixth form community where talented mathematicians can excel. Based in the heart of Preston, we provide an intellectually stimulating and challenging curriculum along with high-quality resources for 16-19 year olds who love maths."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026, an open evening on Thursday 14 January 2027 and an open day on Saturday 6 February 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Lancashire
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
The trust
Lancaster University School of Mathematics is run by its own single-school academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 31 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 84% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 10% into work.
Who goes there
8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (58%) and Asian (21%).
In 2026, 12 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 1 (0.8%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Queen Street (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lancaster University School of Mathematics 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 831 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
Lancaster University School of Mathematics recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at inspiring young mathematicians and scientists through specialist teaching from highly qualified experts who break complex topics into manageable parts. Students develop not just subject knowledge, but also critical thinking skills and confidence to question methods and ideas. The school provides outstanding enrichment activities and careers guidance that help students progress to top universities and understand how their learning connects to future careers.
Key Strengths
- Highly qualified specialist teachers who use excellent teaching techniques and clear explanations to help students master complex concepts
- Systematic curriculum design that builds student confidence progressively, from fundamental principles through to advanced topics
- Effective use of assessment and feedback to identify gaps in knowledge and support student improvement
- Ambitious enrichment opportunities including CERN visits and project-based learning that connects subjects to real-world applications
- Excellent careers guidance with strong progression to first-choice universities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with students reporting they feel safe and learning about online safety, coping strategies, and resilience.
Extracurricular Activities
CERN visits for physics students, student mentoring programs tutoring GCSE mathematics pupils, masterclasses in medical statistics and competitive pricing algorithms, subject-based projects investigating topics such as abiogenesis and cryptography
Lancaster University School of Mathematics is a 16-19 free school in Preston specializing in STEM subjects, where all students study mathematics, further mathematics, and a science or computer science A level. The school has been rated Outstanding across all areas.
About
Lancaster University School of Mathematics, also known as LUSoM, is a maths school located in Preston, Lancashire, England. As a maths school, it is a specialist mathematics free school sixth form college.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
8.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
B+
Average grade
44.4
Points per entry
A-
Best 3 A-Levels
60%
Achieving AAB+
Above average
Value added
53
A-Level students
88%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 31 students
2023/24 data
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Latest from Lancaster University School of Mathematics
Maths School High Achievers’ Success with Apprenticeships
3 Sep 2026
Maths School celebrates record number of A* grades and girls’ performance
17 Aug 2026
LUSoM is celebrating further success and national recognition
18 Feb 2026
Maths Challenge success for LUSoM
3 Nov 2025
Celebrating the success of Maths Schools Nationally
24 Oct 2025
Year 13 visit Berlin
3 Oct 2025
From Lancaster University School of Mathematics's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Lancaster University School of Mathematics
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 107
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 30
- Children hurt
- 18
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 107 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 30 serious and 77 slight.
18 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
20 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
48%
Available places
125 pupils
260 places
135 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
12
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
10.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
125
Total Pupils
90
Boys
35
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
13.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,741
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Lancaster University School of Mathematics
What is Lancaster University School of Mathematics's Ofsted rating?
Lancaster University School of Mathematics was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025.
What is the catchment area for Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
No fixed boundary. When Lancaster University School of Mathematics is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How big are the classes at Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
Classes at Lancaster University School of Mathematics average 20.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
Lancaster University School of Mathematics has around 125 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Lancaster University School of Mathematics on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 107 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 30 serious and 77 slight. 18 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 9 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 20 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 Lancaster University School of Mathematics?
Lancaster University School of Mathematics is at 67-69 London Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 4BA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)