Bilsborrow John Cross Church of England Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 5 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Garstang Road, Bilsborrow, Preston, PR3 0REOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Bilsborrow John Cross Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Preston for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 692 schools in Lancashire. It ranks 18th of 106 primary schools in Preston. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 6 November 2013, report published 27 November 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 March 2023

This school is a safe and happy place for pupils to learn. Pupils receive high levels of care, guidance and support. Leaders and teachers ensure that pupils respect and care for one another. Staff forge positive relationships with pupils. Leaders deal quickly and effectively with any incidents of bullying or unkind behaviour. Adults have high expectations for pupils' achievements. Teachers get to know pupils as soon as they join the school, enabling them to get off to a flying start. Staff engage pupils in their learning by preparing exciting activities. Pupils enjoy learning, and they are achieving well. Children in the early years are ready for the next steps in learning. Staff expect pupils to behave well. Children in Nursery and Reception listen carefully to their teachers. As they grow up through school, this positive behaviour continues. Pupils are respectful, thoughtful and kind. They behave well in lessons. Teachers make sure that everybody keeps to the rules. Pupils enjoy being part of this calm and orderly school. Pupils love the 'wellies in woods' activities. They learn the names of the trees and create beautiful artwork outside. Pupils gain a deep understanding of the local area. They appreciate the wide range of enrichment opportunities they are given. This includes a mini zoo, an animal club and many other extra-curricular activities.

What the school should improve

  • In a few subjects, the curriculum attempts to cover too much content. On occasion, this means that pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge that they should about some important topics and concepts. Leaders should refine these curriculums so that pupils have enough opportunities to learn important information in sufficient depth.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

11 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths82%

82%, 20 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths9%

9%, 1 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score107

107, 1 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score109

109, 4 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

84 pupils on roll, with places for 70

Eligible for free school meals19%

19%, 7.5 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language4.8%

4.8%, 16.8 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support6%

6%, 8.8 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.4%

2.4%, 3.6 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Bilsborrow John Cross Church of England Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary School2 milesOfsted: Outstanding81% met the expected standard
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Claughton-on-Brock2 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding86% met the expected standard
St Mary and St Andrew's Catholic Primary School, Barton Newsham2 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstandingNot published
Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School2 milesOfsted: Good65% met the expected standard
Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School3 milesOfsted: Good79% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
5 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mr Liam Reynolds
Address
Garstang Road, Bilsborrow, Preston, PR3 0RE
Local authority
Lancashire
URN
119519

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.