Best Primary Schools in Lancashire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 477 schools across Lancashire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Lancashire has 477 open primary schools. Of the 474 with a published Ofsted inspection, 51 (11%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 91% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Lancashire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

477
Total schools
51
Outstanding (historic grade)
11%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
61%
Avg KS2 SATs
37.4
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold
Primary
 Outstanding 98 View school
🥈 The Willows Catholic Primary School, Kirkham
Primary
 Outstanding 95 View school
🥉 Crawford Village Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
4. Newburgh Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 94 View school
5. Brabins Endowed School
Primary
 Outstanding 93 View school
6. Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 92 View school
7. The Olive School, Preston
Primary
 Outstanding 92 View school
8. Aughton Christ Church Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
9. St George's Church of England Primary School, Chorley
Primary
 Outstanding 91 View school
10. Roughlee Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 90 View school
11. Lytham Hall Park Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 89 View school
12. Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
13. Lomeshaye Junior School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
14. St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
15. Trinity and St Michael's VA CofE/Methodist Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
16. Crow Orchard Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
17. Freckleton Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 86 View school
18. Burscough Bridge Methodist School
Primary
 Good 85 View school
19. Helmshore Primary School
Primary
 Good 84 View school
20. Eccleston Primary School
Primary
 Good 84 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Lancashire

Best primary schools in LancashireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in LancashireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in LancashirePrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in LancashireYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Blackburn with DarwenCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BoltonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BlackpoolCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WiganCompare neighbouring authority

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Lancashire?
There are 477 open primary schools in Lancashire (closed schools are excluded). 51 of the 474 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in Lancashire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Lancashire is Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Lancashire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Lancashire?
Primary and secondary applications in Lancashire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Lancashire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.