SchoolScoresCarnforth Community Primary School
Community school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
North Road, Carnforth, LA5 9LQ
01524 732435 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 6 February 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
Carnforth comparisons use the 9 of its 15 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 6 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Carnforth | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 5th highest of 9 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Carnforth. Higher than 47% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 95% | 96% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 1st highest of 9 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Carnforth. Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 97% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 8th highest of 9 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Carnforth. Higher than 41% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 89% | 94% | 84% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 14 parents who had raised a concern 4th highest of 9 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Carnforth. Higher than 82% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 93% | 88% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Joint 5th highest of 9 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Carnforth. Higher than 67% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 95%said yes | 93% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Carnforth figures pool parents at the Carnforth schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
14 pupils in this year group.
29% — 31 points below the Lancashire average, and 33 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 29% | 60% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 71% | 74% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 29% | 71% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 50% | 74% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 104 | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 102 | 104 | 105 |
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 offered | 14 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 14 |
| Of those, offered a place | 14 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 34 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0
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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
Specialist SEND provision: this school has a SEN unit with 16 places for speech, language and communication needs; Autism. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.
| Pupils | This school | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 2nd highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 58% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 25.6% | 25.3%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 7th highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 37% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 2.4% | 3.0%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 2nd highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 99% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 36.6% | 13.7%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 3rd highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 43% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 7.3% | 16.0%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 12th lowest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Lower than 46% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.1% | 5.1%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 15th lowest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Lower than 25% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 16.7% | 12.3%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 15th lowest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Lower than 31% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 15th lowest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Lower than 33% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 14th highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 2% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 11.0 | 21.1 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 14th highest of 15 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 5% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 7.0 | 10.5 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year Joint 8th highest of 11 state primary schools in Carnforth. Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 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.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby primary schools
- Carnforth Christ Church, CofE, Voluntary Aided Primary School 0.1 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 6 expected · 63% met expected standard (KS2)
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Carnforth 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016, before conversion), confirmed 2022 · 54% met expected standard (KS2)
- Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 36% met expected standard (KS2)
- Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed CofE Primary School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Nether Kellet Community Primary School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 69% met expected standard (KS2)
- Bolton-le-Sands CofE Primary School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 59% met expected standard (KS2)
- Yealand CofE Primary School 3.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2017), confirmed 2022
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Carnforth Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Carnforth Community Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 6 February 2024.
How did Carnforth Community Primary School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 29% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 33 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Carnforth Community Primary School?
95% of the 19 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Carnforth Community Primary School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Carnforth Community Primary School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 14 families put Carnforth Community Primary School as their first choice for 14 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 14 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 119126.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.