Whalley Church of England Primary School, Clitheroe

Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 511

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.7km)Possible (~2.4km)Unlikely (~3.1km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Richard Blackburn
Pupils:315 / 315 capacity
LA:Lancashire
Phone:01254823348
Address:Church Lane, Whalley, Clitheroe, BB7 9SY
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 10 March 2026View full report
URN:119429
UKPRN:10073465
Diocese:Diocese of Blackburn
Constituency:Pendle and Clitheroe
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Whalley is a caring, inclusive school where every child feels valued and safe. The school excels at identifying and supporting children with additional needs quickly, and ensures disadvantaged pupils benefit from well-targeted support and take a full part in school life. Pupils achieve well, particularly in reading and mathematics, and staff are highly trained and committed to helping every child succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Reading and mathematics are taught well with outcomes above national averages
  • Strong inclusion and support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
  • Excellent safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and concerns are acted upon quickly
  • Well-trained staff who know pupils well and provide caring, consistent support
  • Broad, balanced curriculum with good emphasis on vocabulary development across subjects

Areas for Improvement

  • Gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers at the school is not narrowing
  • Some low-level classroom disruption affects pupil focus in certain lessons
  • Quality of work across subjects beyond English and mathematics is inconsistent
  • Occasional gaps in pupils' knowledge in non-core subjects
  • Some expectations for early years children could be higher, particularly in writing

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Fantastic Friday activities, educational visits, residential trips, outdoor learning, leadership roles, church visits, world religions study

Whalley Church of England Primary School is a welcoming, caring school where pupils are happy and safe. Outcomes at the end of Year 6 are consistently above national averages, and the school has a strong inclusive approach to supporting all learners.

At a Glance

6.7%

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+2ppMaths-1ppWriting+2pp

Reading has remained stable at around 88%. Maths has remained stable at around 88%. Writing has remained stable at around 84%.

Class Sizes

28.2

Avg class size

27.0

Infant (KS1)

29.2

KS2

11

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Whalley Rail Station (entrance)
369m · 6 min walk

Bus Stops

Bus Station (Stand A)
194m · 3 min walk
Toby Jug (by)
222m · 4 min walk
Rendezvous (by)
277m · 5 min walk
The Grove (by)
290m · 5 min walk
Sydney Avenue (by)
347m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

100%

Over capacity

315 pupils

315 capacity

0 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Clitheroe

Low pressure
New homes approved:792
Projected new pupils:198

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Clitheroe

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(9)

10 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
30 November 2021
9 November 2016
Leadership & ManagementGood

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

3.99209%

Overall absence

4.85075%

Persistent absence

268

Enrolments

Authorised3.09613%
Unauthorised0.89596%
Persistent (10%+)4.85075%
Severe (50%+)0.74627%

Absence trend

2.82349%
18/19
1.75923%
20/21
5.00382%
21/22
4.26163%
22/23
4.27936%
23/24
3.99209%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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