St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston, Preston

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston on 7 areas: 4 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils progress extremely well through the curriculum from the early years to Year 6."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders strive relentlessly to maintain high attendance for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders know their school extremely well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school provides an extensive, well-thought-out programme of personal development that is tailored to the school's context."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children get off to a positive start in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders are responsive in their decision‑making, adapting thoughtfully to the changing picture of pupils' needs at the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further refine their systems to measure the progress that pupils with barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make in order to better inform the next steps in their learning"; "Leaders should further support staff to consistently make effective choices about what to teach, and when and how to teach it, including in the early years".

In its own words: "Saint Clare's is a school which seeks to implement the highest ideals of Catholic education for the boys and girls."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to St Clare's Catholic Primary School. As a Catholic school we offer our children the opportunity to grow as young people and encourage them to develop a closer relationship with God in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect. St Clare's is a school we are all proud of."

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston reached the expected standard in reading and 94% 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 (86% in reading, 89% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 31 families put St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston as their first choice and 131 named it as one of their preferences, for 35 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 St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston are Sherwood Primary School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 92% reading, 95% maths); Fulwood, St Peter's Church of England Primary School and Nursery (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 83% maths); Queen's Drive Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 82% maths); and The Olive School, Preston (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 95% maths).

St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

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

54 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston (as of April 2026): 96% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (94%).

5.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 39.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (49%), White British (31%) and Mixed (9%).

In 2026, 22 pupils (7.9%) received SEN support and 7 (2.5%) 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 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Clare's Church (opposite), 120 metres away.

In 2024/25, St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston are Lancashire Education Medical Services (under 0.1 miles), Corpus Christi Catholic High School (0.4 miles), Archbishop Temple Church of England High School (0.6 miles) and Fulwood Academy (0.8 miles).