Pendle Primary Academy, Nelson

Good
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~408m)Possible (~583m)Unlikely (~758m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Simon Thompson
Pupils:415 / 420 capacity
LA:Lancashire
Phone:01282615927
Address:Walter Street, Brierfield, Nelson, BB9 5AW
Trust:PENDLE EDUCATION TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 March 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 10 months ago
Good

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Requires Improvement

Behaviour & Attitudes

Requires Improvement

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Requires Improvement

Early Years

Inspected 25 November 2025View full report
URN:139053
UKPRN:10039883
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Burnley
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Pendle Primary Academy is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive. The school excels at developing pupils' speaking and listening skills from an early age, and creates an inclusive environment where all pupils - including those with additional needs and those learning English - receive excellent support. Pupils achieve well in national assessments, are well-behaved and respectful, and parents consistently praise the school as wonderful.

Key Strengths

  • Strong focus on oracy and communication skills from early years onwards
  • Excellent attendance improvement and behaviour, with pupils showing positive attitudes to learning
  • Well-designed curriculum with cumulative knowledge building across subjects
  • Highly inclusive provision for pupils with SEND and English as an additional language
  • Strong leadership with clear vision for the school as the heart of the community

Areas for Improvement

  • Some teachers do not consistently identify and address incorrect letter formation or joining in handwriting
  • The school's pupil premium strategy lacks mechanisms to measure and compare the impact of individual initiatives over time

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Annual pantomime, trips and visits, visitors, extra-curricular activities, oracy ambassador roles, wellbeing ambassador roles, outdoor ambassador roles

Pendle Primary Academy is a happy, inclusive school where pupils achieve well and are looked after and nurtured. The school has improved significantly over recent years, with attendance rising dramatically and achievement standards now in line with or above national expectations.

At a Glance

30.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+10ppMaths-2ppWriting+9pp

Reading has improved from 68% to 78%. Maths has remained stable at around 73%. Writing has improved from 64% to 73%.

Class Sizes

30.4

Avg class size

29.8

Infant (KS1)

30.8

KS2

11

Total classes

3 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Brierfield Rail Station (entrance)
345m · 6 min walk

Bus Stops

Regent Street (opp)
216m · 4 min walk
Town Hall (opp)
288m · 5 min walk
Sackville Street (by)
306m · 5 min walk
Chapel Street (by)
323m · 5 min walk
Reedley Road (opp)
433m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

415 pupils

420 capacity

5 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Nelson

High pressure
New homes approved:936
Projected new pupils:234

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Nelson

Admissions Demand - Lancashire

Low demand0.77x oversubscription

Places available

15,664

Applications

12,136

Got 1st preference

93.0%

Got preferred school

98.8%

Primary admissions across Lancashire (2025/26)

Inspection History(4)

25 November 2025
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesRequires Improvement
Personal DevelopmentRequires Improvement
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsRequires Improvement
8 March 2022
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
26 March 2019

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.84475%

Overall absence

13.24324%

Persistent absence

370

Enrolments

Authorised3.95613%
Unauthorised1.88862%
Persistent (10%+)13.24324%
Severe (50%+)0.27027%

Absence trend

4.56826%
18/19
6.87293%
20/21
7.21599%
21/22
7.89211%
22/23
7.28733%
23/24
5.84475%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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