Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston, Preston

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders take a proactive and deliberate approach to promoting the importance of attendance."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have an accurate oversight of the curriculum."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders identify pupils' needs swiftly and accurately, using a well-embedded, tiered approach to ensure that support is timely and closely matched to pupils' needs."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a detailed and precise understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school provides an impressive and well-developed personal development programme."

Achievement - Expected standard. "From the early years onwards, pupils make steady progress through the curriculum and achieve outcomes in national tests that are in line with, or above, national expectations."

Early years - Expected standard. "Early years staff are knowledgeable and have implemented a comprehensive curriculum with a clear emphasis on communication and language and personal, social and emotional development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen some of the school's assessment systems even further, particularly in the early years, so that gaps in pupils' learning are identified precisely and addressed swiftly".

In its own words: "We are inspired by teachings of Jesus Christ who is at the heart of all that we do. Working in unity with our families, parish and community, we encourage and support the children to grow in faith and reach their full potential in a happy, caring and loving environment."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our school is a happy hard working community in which staff, parents, pupils and parishioners take pride. We primarily serve the parish of Our Lady & St. Edward's with a number of children coming from the surrounding districts. Many of our families attend church on a regular basis and are very actively involved in the life of the parish."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cooking and art.

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 73% in reading and 70% 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 Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston as their first choice and 100 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 Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston are Harris Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 72% reading, 66% maths); Fulwood, St Peter's Church of England Primary School and Nursery (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 83% maths); St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston (0.8 miles, 83% reading, 94% maths); and Broughton-in-Amounderness Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 96% reading, 98% maths).

Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston is one of 17 schools run by Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

81 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston (as of April 2026): 86% would recommend the school, 89% 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 feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

3.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (69%) and Asian (16%).

In 2026, 15 pupils (6.9%) received SEN support and 7 (3.2%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 2.9 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hazelmere Rd (by), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston issued 4 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Preston are Broughton High School (0.7 miles), Fulwood Academy (0.7 miles), Lancashire Education Medical Services (0.8 miles) and Corpus Christi Catholic High School (0.9 miles).