Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School

Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England

Woodgrove Road, Burnley, BB11 3EJ

01282 427848 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card7 needs attentionSafeguarding met · 14 April 2026
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths40%England 62% · 2024/25
31st highest of 33 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 7% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils200Room for 210 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 209 in 2019, 211 in 2021, 210 in 2022, 206 in 2023, 209 in 2024, 207 in 2025, 200 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.927 for 30 places, September 2026
Joint 19th highest of 34 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 23% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 14 April 2026 , published 17 May 2026.

In short: 7 needs attention, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Early yearsNursery and reception classes. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

30 pupils in this year group.

40% — 20 points below the Lancashire average, and 22 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 40% 60% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 3% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 63% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 50% 71% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 43% 74% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 102 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 98 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 42%This school 2023/24: 27%This school 2024/25: 40% This school England 62% 2022/23 42% 2023/24 27% 2024/25 40%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Lancashire. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered30
Families who put it first27
Of those, offered a place25 (93%)
Families who listed it at all90

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 0.9

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

This is a Church of England school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.

Admissions dates and schools in Lancashire

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolLancashireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
12th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 81% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
40.6% 25.3%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
15th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 66% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
3.9% 3.0%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
5th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 86% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
21.7% 13.7%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
18th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 48% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
9.2% 16.0%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
29th lowest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Lower than 17% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
6.5% 5.1%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
31st lowest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Lower than 15% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
19.7% 12.3%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
34th lowest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Lower than 4% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
11.6 2.6 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
34th lowest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Lower than 2% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
6.3% 1.2% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil 0.48% 0.07% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
Joint 10th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 84% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
23.8 21.1 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
Joint 29th highest of 35 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 24% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
9.2 10.5 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
18th highest of 32 state primary schools in Burnley.
Higher than 41% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
10.2% 12.9%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 14 April 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 7 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.

How did Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 40% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 22 points below the England average of 62%.

Is Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 27 families put Burnley St Stephen's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice for 30 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 25 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.