Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Accrington

Ofsted's report card from its 6 January 2026 inspection grades Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Children make a positive start in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school quickly identifies additional needs and barriers to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from a carefully considered approach to their personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Across key stages 1 and 2, a number of pupils do not achieve as well as they should in writing."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Over the past 3 years, too many pupils have not attended school often enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "A number of pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2 have gaps in their writing knowledge and skills."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders understand the strengths of the school and where improvements are needed."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that a high-quality curriculum and highly effective teaching are in place across the school. This is so pupils achieve well across the curriculum, including those achievements set out in published outcomes. • Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy significantly reduces the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school. • Governors should ensure that they have the range and quality of information they need so that they can more effectively challenge and support school leaders in relation to school improvement priorities".

In its own words: "Welcome to Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, where we are committed to nurturing a caring, respectful and high-achieving learning community. We believe that every child should feel valued, safe, and inspired to reach their potential. Our Christian foundation guides how we treat each other, with compassion, integrity, and dignity."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 66% in reading and 61% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 85 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 Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School are Oswaldtwistle Moor End Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 81% reading, 85% maths); Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 69% reading, 81% maths); Oswaldtwistle Hippings Methodist Voluntary Controlled Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 81% reading, 78% maths); and St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Oswaldtwistle (0.4 miles, Good, 94% reading, 86% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School.

44 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School (as of April 2026): 89% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 71% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (71%).

35.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Church & Oswaldtwistle Rail Station, about 840 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ash Street (by), 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Oswaldtwistle St Andrew'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 231 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 3.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Oswaldtwistle St Andrew's Church of England Primary School are Rhyddings (0.3 miles); and Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn (0.9 miles).