School Chooser

St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston

Primary · ages 5-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic273 pupilsPrestonLancashire
School Chooser Score
51
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 31 to 70
Out of 100. Better than 32% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, March 2026
Reached the expected level at 1165%England 63%
Attendance94.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families22%A bit fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend96%47 Parent View responses
Places7 spare273 pupils, 280 places

St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston is a converter academy in Preston for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 273 pupils and room for 280. About 22 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 51 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 32% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in March 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

St Austin's Place, Avenham, Preston, PR1 3YJ01772 253851staugustinespreston.co.ukMrs Sarah Roach headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 24 March 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

40 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1165%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level5%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 42%42%20172018: 70%70%20182019: 83%83%20192023: 69%69%20232024: 62%62%20242025: 65%65%2025
Since 2017: +23%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023†2019†2018†2017†LancashireEngland
Pupils tested403735363745
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths65%62%69%83%70%42%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths5%16%6%14%5%7%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0104.0105.0105.0105.0101.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0104.0107.0104.0103.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0102.0102.0107.0105.0105.0104.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard85%70%71%83%84%53%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard80%73%77%94%78%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%81%86%92%78%62%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.9+2.1+0.0+0.0
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.1+2.8+0.4+0.6
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged33%38%47%78%44%23%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged79%75%89%85%79%50%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 4 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
33%79%
Gap 46 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
61%68%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
77%65%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
8%5%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Full275 pupils for 266 places, 2024/25
103% full

The school is full, with 9 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Lancashire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school96%England 87%
My child is happy here96%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe96%
Positive overall89%
My child is happy at this school
96%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
96%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
87%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
13% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
50%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
89%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
23% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
82%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
91%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
75%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
85%England 82%
I would recommend this school
96%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
89%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 47 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll273Census January 2026
Places28098% full
Pupils from low-income families22%22% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English74%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support6%16 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.48 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils38%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)20%£82,150 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls153 / 120
White British pupils14%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 31.2 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (8), emotional and mental health (6), Specific learning difficulty (5), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll273278278275
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals22%23%25%30%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language74%78%78%36%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%19%18%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school12.0%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.1%4.9%6.5%7.6%4.5%4.9%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.1%3.8%5.3%6.0%3.6%3.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.0%1.1%1.2%1.6%0.9%1.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence12.0%12.3%17.4%25.9%14.1%11.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.73.22.90.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions0000

† These attendance figures are for St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers10.6full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher25.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants14.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,579
Teachers who left in the year14%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.82024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,209England £7,128. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£6,676England £7,587. Total £1.9m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,842England £3,405
Money in reserve7%Not much put by: £123k, £441 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£130kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,209spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m92212 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate425 per 1,000 people367% higher than the England average
Typical house price£200,000Preston
Nearest bus stop150 mCardinal Newman College, 7 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Frenchwood Community Primary SchoolCouncil270 m326Report card 20269Compare
St Ignatius' Catholic Primary School, PrestonAcademy980 m193Good 2022Compare
St Stephen's CofE SchoolChurch of England0.8 miles331Good 202317Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, PrestonAcademy0.9 miles347Report card 202636Compare
St Matthew's Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy0.9 miles415No overall grade 20258Compare
Walton-le-Dale, St Leonard's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.0 miles228Not inspected59Compare
English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, PrestonRoman Catholic1.0 miles229Good 202320Compare
Deepdale Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles696Report card 202633Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston with the 47 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats32%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 51 is 7 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 58 · highest 96100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Cedars Primary SchoolCouncil8.8 miles407Good 201982Compare
Brookhouse Primary SchoolCouncil8.8 miles247Good 202281Compare
Daisyfield Primary SchoolCouncil9.2 miles292Good 202386Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 51 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 51% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 31 to 70. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.02
2025 and 2024 results; 40 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.12
Ofsted report card, 0.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.09
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 40 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.19
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.01
2024/25; 241 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 40 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.03
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 47 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston a good school?

It is about average. St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston scores 51 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 32% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 31 to 70, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 24 March 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 65% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston have?

273 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 280 places, so it is 98% full.

Is St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 9 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston?

Pupils were in school 94.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston?

96% of the 47 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 96% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Preston?

The average class had 29.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 38% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
St Austin's Place, Avenham, Preston, PR1 3YJ
Telephone
01772 253851
Website
www.staugustinespreston.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Roach
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Lancaster
Multi-academy trust
Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Multi-Academy Trust (17 schools)
Local authority
Lancashire
Ward
Fishwick & Frenchwood
Constituency
Preston
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 December 2022 (academy converter)
URN
149311 · LAESTAB 8883643 · UKPRN 10091150
Formerly
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School

Where these figures come from