In a sweeping review of primary education across Lancashire, Ofsted has delivered a series of detailed inspection reports on dozens of schools, revealing both impressive progress and areas for urgent improvement. Between January 1, 2024, and December 26, 2025, the educational watchdog visited 18 mainstream primary schools on the Fylde Coast and another 25 in Preston, Chorley, and South Ribble. The results, published throughout early 2025, paint a nuanced picture of local education—one marked by high ambitions, evolving standards, and the ever-present challenge of meeting the needs of every pupil.
This latest round of inspections comes amid a significant change in the way Ofsted evaluates schools. As of September 2024, the agency stopped issuing a single, overall effectiveness rating in its reports. Instead, inspectors now provide individual ratings across specific categories such as quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This shift, according to Ofsted, is designed to give parents and educators a clearer, more granular understanding of a school’s strengths and weaknesses.
One of the standout success stories is Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School. Inspected on November 26-27, 2025, and with the report published on January 14, 2025, the school achieved an ‘outstanding’ rating in every category. Inspectors praised the school’s “highly ambitious curriculum” and the way pupils “achieve and behave exceptionally well.” The breadth of extracurricular offerings, including an “extensive range of trips and clubs,” was also highlighted as a key factor in fostering a vibrant school community. Notably, the school’s previous inspection had rated it as merely ‘good’—a testament to significant progress in recent years.
Similarly, Hambleton Primary Academy maintained its reputation for excellence. The school’s inspection, conducted on December 17-18, 2025, resulted in another clean sweep of ‘outstanding’ ratings. The report, published January 27, 2025, described Hambleton as a “safe, happy and exciting place to learn and play,” where “pupils achieve remarkably well” thanks to a “broad, ambitious and highly relevant curriculum.” Inspectors found no areas in need of improvement—an impressive feat, especially considering the high bar set by previous inspections.
But not every school reached these heights. St John’s Catholic Primary School in Poulton-le-Fylde, for example, saw its status fall from ‘outstanding’ to a mixed bag: ‘requires improvement’ in three categories, ‘good’ in one, and ‘outstanding’ in another. The January 24, 2025, report noted the school’s “nurturing environment” and “exceptionally well-behaved” pupils, but flagged concerns about the clarity of what pupils should be learning, the adaptation of the curriculum for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the need for better checks on learning. The previous inspection had placed the school among the elite, underscoring how quickly fortunes can change.
Devonshire Primary Academy, meanwhile, demonstrated a remarkable turnaround. Following a November 26-27, 2025, inspection—report published January 13, 2025—the school was rated ‘good’ across all categories. Inspectors commended the school’s “happy pupils,” “ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum,” and noted that “many pupils achieve well.” However, the report also urged leaders to “ensure activities help pupils to deepen their learning” and to “identify links between early years and key stage 1.” Just a short time ago, the school had been rated as ‘requires improvement,’ signaling a significant leap forward.
Other schools, such as Baines’ Endowed Church of England Primary Academy, found themselves straddling the line between success and struggle. Its January 16, 2025, report—following a late November inspection—rated the school ‘good’ in three categories but ‘requires improvement’ in two. Inspectors described a “welcoming and cheerful community” and praised the “engaging curriculum,” but called for better adaptation of teaching for SEND pupils and more rigorous checks on what children actually know. The previous inspection had also found the school in need of improvement, suggesting that while progress has been made, challenges remain.
Shakespeare Primary School’s January 24, 2025, report told a similar story. The school was rated ‘good’ in all categories except one, which achieved an ‘outstanding’ mark. Inspectors highlighted the “happy, welcoming school” atmosphere, strong pupil achievement, and a “broad, ambitious curriculum.” Yet, they also pointed to the need for “precisely identifying key knowledge that pupils should learn” and for greater oversight of how the curriculum is implemented. The school had previously enjoyed an ‘outstanding’ rating, illustrating the dynamic nature of educational standards and expectations.
Turning to Preston, Chorley, and South Ribble, the inspection results were equally mixed. Queen’s Drive Primary School, inspected on November 26-27, 2025, and reported on January 14, 2025, was rated ‘good’ in all categories. Inspectors remarked on the school’s “happy and welcoming” environment, well-behaved pupils, and “ambitious curriculum.” Still, they recommended clarifying “precise knowledge pupils should learn” and implementing better checks on the curriculum’s impact. This marked a step down from the school’s previous ‘outstanding’ rating, showing that even strong schools can face new hurdles under Ofsted’s evolving framework.
New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School both underwent ungraded inspections, which judged them to have “maintained standards.” For New Longton, the January 14, 2025, report (following a late November inspection) praised its “warm, welcoming” atmosphere and “excellent range of personal development opportunities.” The main area for improvement was in “assessment strategies.” St Mary’s, inspected December 3, 2025, with a report published January 15, 2025, was also found to be maintaining its previous standards. Inspectors commended the school for good pupil behavior and an “ambitious curriculum,” but noted the need to “set out precisely what key knowledge it wants pupils to learn” and to address “gaps in knowledge due to previous curriculum.” Both schools had previously been rated ‘good.’
Across all the inspected schools, Ofsted’s reports repeatedly highlighted the importance of a clearly defined and ambitious curriculum, effective teaching strategies for SEND pupils, and robust systems for checking what children actually know and can do. The new inspection framework, which breaks down ratings by category, seems to be pushing schools to focus on the details rather than resting on broad reputations.
For parents and communities, these reports offer both reassurance and a call to action. The many examples of happy, safe, and ambitious schools are heartening. Yet, the persistent calls for improvement—especially around curriculum clarity and support for SEND pupils—underscore the ongoing work required to ensure that every child receives the education they deserve. As Ofsted continues to refine its approach, Lancashire’s schools are being asked not just to meet standards, but to constantly raise them.
