School Chooser

Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedChurch of England69 pupilsNurseryPrestonLancashire
School Chooser Score
41
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 17 to 71, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 51% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, June 2024
Reached the expected level at 1167%England 63%
Attendance93.8%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families12%Far fewer than most schools
Places21 spare69 pupils, 90 places
Pupils per teacher23.0School workforce census

Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Preston for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 69 pupils and room for 90. About 12 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 41 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 51% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

The Gravel, Mere Brow, Preston, PR4 6JX01772 812689merebrow.lancs.sch.ukMiss Jessica Rowe headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 25 June 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
8 March 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

6 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1167%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score101.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 50%50%20172018: 40%40%20182019: 38%38%20192023: 40%40%20232024: 71%71%20242025: 67%67%2025
Since 2017: +17%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LancashireEngland
Pupils tested671081012
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%71%40%38%40%50%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0102.0101.098.098.099.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score101.0101.0100.0100.099.0100.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.099.096.099.096.0102.0104.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard83%71%70%50%50%58%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard83%71%60%38%50%67%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)83%86%70%75%70%83%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.2-6.3-3.0-2.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.6-5.9+0.6-0.7

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.

Getting a place

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

Plenty of spare places58 pupils for 98 places, 2024/25
59% full

40 places were empty (41% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 16% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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.

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 roll69Census January 2026
Places9077% full
Pupils from low-income families12%12% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support23%16 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan7%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.01 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)11%£10,850 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls33 / 36
White British pupils99%

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

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll697066827877
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals12%9%9%11%12%16%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%0%1%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support27%21%17%15%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%3%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.8%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.2%4.7%5.2%6.9%3.1%3.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.6%3.7%4.3%6.1%2.8%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.6%1.0%1.0%0.9%0.2%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.4%20.7%12.5%25.4%3.2%5.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers3.0full-time equivalent, 4 people
Pupils per teacher23.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants2.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,049
Teachers who left in the year62%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher28.82021/22

Money

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

Spend per pupil£8,905England £7,738. Total £614k
Income per pupil£8,757England £7,697. Total £604k
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,328England £3,480
Money in reserve2%Very little put by: £14k, £202 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£10kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,905spent 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 m2112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate44 per 1,000 people51% lower than the England average
Typical house price£242,975West Lancashire
Nearest bus stop20 mPrimary School, 6 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
Banks St Stephen's CofE SchoolChurch of England1.6 miles199Report card 202610Compare
Holmeswood Methodist SchoolMethodist1.6 miles55Report card 20269Compare
Banks Methodist SchoolMethodist1.8 miles52Report card 20260Compare
Tarleton Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England2.5 miles207Good 202363Compare
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England2.7 miles158Report card 202615Compare
Tarleton Community Primary SchoolFoundation2.9 miles242Good 202375Compare
Churchtown Primary SchoolAcademy3.1 miles660Good 202336Compare
Larkfield Primary SchoolCouncil3.1 miles256Good 202354Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School 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.

Beats51%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 41 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 39 · highest 94100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 41 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 41% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 17 to 71. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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 years0%no data
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.03
Ofsted grade, 2.2 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.19
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.05
2024/25; 54 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
What parents say0%no data

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 Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School scores 41 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 51% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 17 to 71, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 25 June 2024.

How good are Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 67% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School have?

69 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 90 places, so it is 77% full.

Is Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 40 places were empty in 2024/25 (41% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 22.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
The Gravel, Mere Brow, Preston, PR4 6JX
Telephone
01772 812689
Website
www.merebrow.lancs.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Jessica Rowe
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Blackburn
Local authority
Lancashire
Ward
Burscough Bridge & Rufford
Constituency
Southport
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
119574 · LAESTAB 8883592 · UKPRN 10072053

Where these figures come from