St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy
New Hall Lane, Preston, PR1 5XBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school in Preston for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 692 schools in Lancashire. It ranks 93rd of 106 primary schools in Preston. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 14 January 2025, report published 13 February 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Requires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Requires improvement
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 January 2025
Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming school. The school's kind and inclusive ethos is evident in the way that pupils accept and celebrate the differences between them. Pupils, including children in the Nursery, are considerate and share with their peers. Pupils rightly feel safe and know that staff will listen to them if they have any worries. Staff know pupils and families in the community well and build good relationships. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave well. They have positive attitudes to their work, enjoy learning and try hard in class. The school has renewed its curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious. It strives for every pupil to reach their potential. However, the previous weaker curriculum means pupils have developed gaps in their learning over time. As a result, many pupils do not have the knowledge they need for the next stage in their education. Pupils enjoy trips to outdoor and adventure centres, nature reserves and local walks. They develop their talents with sports clubs, board games and 'star writer' club. Pupils are proud to hold positions of responsibility such as eco-champions. The 'language ambassadors' welcome pupils new to the school or country. This helps pupils to settle quickly.
What the school should improve
- The delivery of the curriculum is variable across the school in all phases and subjects. At times, activities are not well matched to support learning. This hinders pupils from building a secure body of knowledge over time. The school should ensure that teachers receive the support and development they need to deliver the curriculum consistently well.
- Children in the early years do not achieve as well as they should. Some children do not learn the vocabulary and general knowledge they need to be well prepared for Year 1. The school should ensure that staff receive the support they need to ensure children develop the communication and language skills they need to be prepared for their next stage of education.
- Across the school, teachers' checks on pupils' understanding are not specific enough. This means misconceptions in pupils' learning are not identified and addressed swiftly enough. The school should ensure teachers' checks on pupils' knowledge are precise and inform their teaching so pupils build knowledge securely over time.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
57 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
415 pupils on roll, with places for 406
Schools near St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Preston | 0.1 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 78% met the expected standard |
| Ribbleton Avenue Infant School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Not published |
| Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School | 0.4 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 49% met the expected standard |
| Fishwick Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 53% met the expected standard |
| St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Preston | 0.4 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 47% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- CIDARI EDUCATION LIMITED
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Mark Mackley
- Phone
- 01772794482
- Address
- New Hall Lane, Preston, PR1 5XB
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- URN
- 148904
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.