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OpenPrimaryOfsted: Requires improvementURN 119638

St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School

Voluntary aided school · Preston · PR1 9QQ

Ages 3–11 · 175 pupils · Lancashire

School website

Ofsted

Requires improvement

KS2 expected (RWM)

67%

Overall absence

4.0%

Admissions demand

0.88 · Often has places

Ofsted

Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.

Read full report

Headline

Requires improvement

Inspection date

2024-05-14

Overall effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding effective
Yes

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.

Key stage 2 (2023/24)

Expected standard (RWM)67%
Higher standard (RWM)0%
Avg scaled score — reading
105.0
Avg scaled score — maths
106.0
Avg scaled score — GPS
110.0

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.

Overall absence4.0%
Persistent absence (10%+)8.5%
Unauthorised0.6%
Authorised absence
3.4%
Severe absence (50%+)
0.6%
Enrolments in measure
176

Absence trend

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

  • Overall
  • Persistent (10%+)

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England

Admissions demand

Coordinated admissions for primary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.

Demand ratio

0.88 · Often has places

1st preferences

23

Places offered

26

1st-preference offers

23

Total preferences (any rank)
71
Preferred offers (top 3)
26
Applications from outside LA
1
Offers to outside-LA applicants
1

Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.

Size & intake

From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).

Capacity fill83%

175 pupils · 210 places

Pupils on roll
175
Boys / girls
84 / 91
School capacity
210
Capacity fill
175 / 210 (83%)
Free school meals
12.6%
FSM pupils
22
Gender
Mixed
School type
Voluntary aided school

Age range

Ages 3–11

05111619

Provision

Official GIAS characteristics

1 / 6

  • NurseryHas Nursery Classes
  • Sixth form
  • Boarding
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

School characteristics

Religious character
Roman Catholic
Diocese
Archdiocese of Liverpool
Special classes
No Special Classes
Governance
Voluntary aided school
Headteacher
Mrs Claire McKinnon

Location

Address
Buller Avenue, Penwortham
Postcode
PR1 9QQ
Town
Preston
County
Lancashire
Local authority
Lancashire
District
South Ribble
Constituency
South Ribble
Urban/rural
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Local context

How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.

Mixed voluntary aided school (primary), Ages 3–11, in Preston, Lancashire, 175 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: nursery. Free school meals: 12.6%. Religious character: Roman Catholic. Diocese: Archdiocese of Liverpool.

Open schools in Preston
180
Primary schools in Preston
125
Academies among open schools in Preston
21% (38)
Open schools in PR1
41
Primary in PR1
26
Open schools in Lancashire LA
709
Primary in Lancashire LA
483

Nearby primary schools

Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.

Compare with theseAll in PrestonNear PR1

  • St Stephen's CofE School

    Ofsted: Good

    Voluntary controlled school · Primary

    PRESTON · PR1 8JN · Lancashire

    Ages 3–11

    • KS247%
    • Absence7.9%
    • FSM38.0%
    • Demand0.95

    0.6 miles away

  • Kingsfold Primary School

    Ofsted: Good

    Community school · Primary

    PRESTON · PR1 9HJ · Lancashire

    Ages 3–11

    • KS267%
    • Absence6.4%
    • FSM52.1%
    • Demand0.75

    0.6 miles away

  • Penwortham Broad Oak Primary School

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Foundation school · Primary

    Preston · PR1 9DE · Lancashire

    Ages 4–11

    • KS237%
    • Absence4.6%
    • FSM21.5%
    • Demand1.13

    0.9 miles away

  • Frenchwood Community Primary School

    Ofsted: Needs attention

    Community school · Primary

    Preston · PR1 4LE · Lancashire

    Ages 3–11

    • KS250%
    • Absence6.3%
    • FSM26.7%
    • Demand0.67

    1.1 miles away

  • Whitefield Primary School

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Community school · Primary

    Preston · PR1 0RH · Lancashire

    Ages 4–11

    • KS269%
    • Absence4.2%
    • FSM13.6%
    • Demand0.91

    1.2 miles away

New to reading school data? See Ofsted ratings explained and how to compare schools.

Contact

Headteacher
Mrs Claire McKinnon
Telephone
01772742351
Website
www.st-marymagdalen.lancs.sch.uk/

Official links