SchoolScoresStepping Stones School
Pupil referral unit · Primary, ages 5 to 11 · Mixed
Bowerham Road, Lancaster, LA1 4HT
0152467164 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 10 March 2015.
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 | Outstanding |
| Outcomes for pupils | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 12 February 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 91.7% | 25.3%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 50.0% | 3.0%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 50.0% | 13.7%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language | 0.0% | 16.0%* | 23.4% |
| Pupils per teacher | 4.0 | 21.1 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.0 | 10.5 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 9.1% | 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 school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Moorside Primary School 0.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster 0.1 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 79% met expected standard (KS2)
- Scotforth St Paul's CofE Primary and Nursery School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 63% met expected standard (KS2)
- Bowerham Primary and Nursery School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 strong, 1 expected · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2025 · 80% met expected standard (KS2)
- Lancaster Christ Church CofE Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 6 expected · 64% met expected standard (KS2)
- Lancaster Dallas Road Community Primary School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 65% met expected standard (KS2)
- Castle View Primary Academy 1.5 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 31% met expected standard (KS2)
- Willow Lane Community Primary School 1.7 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 46% met expected standard (KS2)
- Lancaster Independent School for Alternative Learning (Lisal) 1.8 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2023)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Stepping Stones School's Ofsted rating?
Stepping Stones School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 10 March 2015. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 12 February 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 119103.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.