Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 February 2026

Pupils at Carter’s Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School feel safe and well cared for. Staff know pupils well. They deal with any bullying quickly. This helps pupils feel secure and supported. The values of kindness, respect and responsibility run throughout the school. Pupils usually behave calmly around the school. They follow clear routines in classrooms, corridors and at social times. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive, including in the early years. The school expectations are clear and mostly applied consistently by staff. However, in some lessons, activities are not well matched to the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils experience outdoor learning as a distinctive part of school life. Staff draw on the school's location to encourage pupils to learn about the local area. Pupils enjoy being active, working together and exploring the coastal environment. These experiences build confidence and enjoyment of learning. The school’s eco-work strengthens this further. Pupils care for an allotment, where they grow and sell vegetables. This helps them to understand sustainability and contribute to the community. Pupils also help keep school areas clean and well cared for. They show pride in their school and its surroundings. Most pupils attend school regularly. They arrive ready to learn. When pupils struggle to come to school regularly, the school supports them. It helps them participate more fully in school life. Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences beyond the curriculum. They learn how to stay safe, including online, and develop respect for difference. Pupils take on responsibilities, such as buddies and ambassadors, and contribute to the school community. Pupils lead lunchtime clubs, such as creating comics and playing chess. These clubs help pupils build on their interests.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that high-quality teaching leads to the intended curriculum being implemented well, so that all pupils make suitable progress.
• Leaders should make sure that teachers have the expertise to effectively check what pupils know and remember, so that they address gaps in knowledge and skills promptly.
• Leaders should ensure that there are high expectations across the curriculum for pupils to embed their foundational skills, such as spelling, handwriting and numeracy, so that they are better prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders should strengthen inclusive classroom practices across the curriculum in order to address variation in the progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders should strengthen the early years provision by ensuring that the curriculum sets out how learning builds over time. They should make sure staff understand children’s starting points so that they engage in high-quality interactions with children that develop their language and thinking.
• Leaders and governors should strengthen their evaluation and oversight so that the strategies they use and the professional development offer they provide lead to consistent improvements in classroom practice.
• Governors should ensure they have a clear understanding of school performance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that their challenge is focused and resources, including pupil premium spending, are effectively evaluated against pupils’ outcomes.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)