The Roebuck School, Preston

Ofsted's report card from its 24 March 2026 inspection grades The Roebuck School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have made changes to the curriculum and the way it is taught in response to the shifting school population."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years make a very positive start to their education."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders take a thorough and systematic approach to identifying pupils' additional needs, particularly pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and governors make decisions that serve pupils' best interests."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from a comprehensive personal development programme."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Historically, pupils have not achieved well."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance has historically been below the national average and remains so."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff use their ongoing checks of pupils' learning consistently to inform subsequent teaching, so that gaps in pupils' knowledge close more quickly"; "Leaders should ensure that the systems and strategies in place to secure rapid and sustained improvement in pupils' reading, writing and mathematics skills are embedded in daily practice so that more pupils leave the school ready for key stage 3"; "Leaders should continue to strengthen their oversight and promotion of the importance of attendance so that more pupils attend regularly".

In its own words: "We have a lot to celebrate at The Roebuck School and we like to share our achievements with a wide audience. This may involve the use of photographic or digital images of individuals or groups of children involved in various activities both inside and outside school."

From the headteacher's welcome: "A Message from the Headteacher Hello, and welcome to the Roebuck School. We are delighted you wish to know more about the life of our very busy and exciting school. The Roebuck Primary School is situated north of Preston, at the junction of Blackpool Road and Inkerman Street in Ashton."

In 2025, 53% of Year 6 pupils at The Roebuck School reached the expected standard in reading and 58% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 60% in reading and 58% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 22 families put The Roebuck School as their first choice and 64 named it as one of their preferences, for 40 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 The Roebuck School are Star Eldon Primary (0.4 miles); Eldon Primary School (0.4 miles, Inadequate, 55% reading, 65% maths); Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Preston (0.4 miles, 63% reading, 70% maths); and English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Preston (0.6 miles, Good, 88% reading, 72% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than The Roebuck School.

44.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (41%), Asian (28%) and Black (20%).

The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Roebuck School (opposite), 20 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Roebuck 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 371 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.

In 2024/25, The Roebuck School issued 37 suspensions, 10.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to The Roebuck School are Our Lady's Catholic High School (0.7 miles), Archbishop Temple Church of England High School (1.1 miles), Fulwood Academy (1.1 miles) and Corpus Christi Catholic High School (1.2 miles).