Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
Padiham, Burnley, BB12 8HT · Lancashire · primary school
Check the area around this school
355th 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 — 4.6/10 against 1,607 of them, against 3.8/10 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 | 60.0 · 39 | 40% | 1.56 |
| Ofsted | 3 | 35% | 0.10 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 4.0 · 35 | 25% | 0.88 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 60.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 4.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in July 2024. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.6 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.8 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 312 pupils against a stated capacity of 341. 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
How does the school support pupils who are below the expected standard in maths? What specific actions are being taken to address the areas highlighted in the 2024 inspection?
What Ofsted said about Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
Overview
The inspection found that pupils are happy and safe, benefiting from a broad curriculum and strong personal development initiatives. However, the school requires improvement in overall effectiveness, behaviour, and leadership due to inconsistencies in curriculum delivery and insufficient monitoring of pupil progress.
Strengths
- Pupils experience a "broad and balanced curriculum" with clear expectations for learning in all subjects.
- Personal development is rated Good, with pupils showing a "positive appreciation for the differences of others" and learning to manage emotions.
- Early years provision is effective, with staff designing activities that help children develop "fundamental knowledge and skills for future learning."
- The school has redeveloped its SEND unit curriculum, which is now "appropriately ambitious" for pupils with additional needs.
- Staff report that leaders take "responsive actions to help them to manage their workload."
Areas to improve
- The school must review how it evaluates subject curriculums to address deficiencies that prevent pupils from developing a "secure body of knowledge."
- Staff need better strategies to identify and respond to pupils’ misconceptions, as current checks on learning are not robust.
- Phonics support and reading books must be better matched to pupils’ abilities to help them become fluent readers more quickly.
- Behaviour management policies must be consistently upheld, particularly during unstructured times, to prevent risks to pupil safety.
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 | 51% |
| 2023/24 | 69% |
| 2024/25 | 60% |
| 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
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of BB12 8HT, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT