Moorside Community Primary Academy School
Skelmersdale, WN8 9EA · Lancashire · primary school
Check the area around this school
224th of 448 primary schools in Lancashire we can score, 481 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 5.6/10 against 1,072 of them, against 4.2/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 59.0 · 37 | 40% | 1.47 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 7.0 · 51 | 25% | 1.27 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Moorside Community Primary Academy School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 59.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. For the higher standard, 7.0% achieved it, matching the national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2025. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (5.6 out of 10 against similar schools, 4.2 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 256 pupils against a stated capacity of 196. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What specific support is available for pupils who have not reached the expected standard? How does the school maintain its Good rating while addressing the gap between its results and the national median?
What Ofsted said about Moorside Community Primary Academy School
Overview
This ungraded inspection confirms that Moorside Community Primary Academy School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The report describes a “friendly school” where pupils feel a “strong sense of belonging” and are “happy and safe.” Overall, pupils achieve well, particularly in core subjects, and staff demonstrate secure subject knowledge.
Strengths
- Pupils exhibit “positive attitudes to their learning” and treat each other with “kindness,” creating a supportive community.
- The school has “successfully implemented a new early reading programme,” with most pupils reading “fluently and with understanding” by the end of key stage 2.
- Staff effectively support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with needs being “quickly and accurately identified.”
- Teachers in English and mathematics “explain new content well” and address misconceptions “effectively.”
- Pupils make a “tangible contribution to the life of their school” through various leadership roles and show respect for diverse cultures.
Areas to improve
- The school must improve the “quality and frequency of support for early readers” and address the “persistent absence” of some of these pupils.
- In some subjects, the school has not “determined clearly enough the most important content” for pupils to master, leading to uneven learning.
- Staff checks in certain subjects do not sufficiently ensure pupils have “understood and remembered a connected body of knowledge over time.”
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 60% |
| 2023/24 | 57% |
| 2024/25 | 59% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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