Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School

School

Address: Main Street, Hornby, Hornby St. Margaret's Church of England Primary School, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA2 8JY Unique reference number (URN): 119530

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the previous inspection, leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have identified the weaknesses in teaching and are taking purposeful steps to address them. They have set out what pupils will learn and in what order. This means that teachers are clear on what to teach and when.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers know their subjects well and explain new ideas clearly and accurately. They give pupils regular opportunities to revisit what they have been taught before. Teachers check that pupils understand new learning and address any misunderstandings. However, leaders' systems for checking on gaps in pupils' knowledge are not as thorough as they could be. This means that teachers cannot precisely identify what pupils do not yet know. This includes errors in older pupils' spelling and handwriting.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading and writing. Teachers teach pupils the sounds that they need to read and write words accurately. Pupils practise reading and writing new words in sentences. Pupils who fall behind catch up quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers adapt their activities to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps these pupils learn alongside their classmates.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have transformed inclusion at the school since the previous inspection. They identify pupils' needs early and draw on advice from specialists, including speech and language therapists and educational psychologists. They also gather information from parents and carers. Leaders use this information to put detailed plans in place. These plans help teachers to adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders review these plans each term. They make sure that pupils who need more support receive it without delay. This means pupils receive help quickly; it is well matched to what they need. Leaders also track participation in enrichment activities. Pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged are able to take part.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders check pupils' progress and adjust support where needed. For example, they provide training to help teachers plan adaptations that are precisely tailored to what pupils need. This helps pupils to learn well alongside their classmates. Most pupils with SEND make suitable progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for development. Since the previous inspection, they have taken decisive action to improve the curriculum and teaching. Leaders act in the best interests of pupils and know the community that the school serves well. As a result, pupils are beginning to benefit from the changes that leaders have made. Governors take their statutory responsibilities seriously. Since the previous inspection, the governing body has been reformed. Governors have developed their understanding of the school's work and have introduced more focused scrutiny of leaders' decisions. For example, they now check attendance and pupils' achievement with greater precision. This means that they are able to ask insightful questions to hold leaders to account for the quality of education that the school provides.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders consider the wellbeing and workload of staff when planning changes. Staff are not overwhelmed when leaders introduce new approaches. Leaders provide training that is well aligned with school improvement priorities. Staff who are new to the school receive clear guidance and regular support. This helps them to settle into their roles quickly. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are positive about the school and the direction of travel. Leaders have used support from the local authority and the diocese to speed up the school's progress on its improvement journey. This has helped them to bring about the needed changes since the last inspection.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils show respect for others and a real curiosity about the world beyond their own community. Each day, pupils take part in collective worship with structured time for reflection. They explore big questions and reflect on their own beliefs and experiences. They take action to play their part in addressing local and national challenges. For example, they wrote to their local MP about having access to clean water. Pupils look forward to electing classmates each year to represent them on the school council. These opportunities help pupils to understand fundamental British values, such as democracy and the importance of speaking up for others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils understand how to build healthy relationships, stay safe online and look after their own wellbeing. This is because leaders have designed a personal, social, health and economic education programme that reflects the needs of pupils and their community. This helps pupils to recognise their emotions and make healthy choices. Pupils understand the risks they may face in the wider world, including online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders work with external agencies to provide support to pupils who need additional help with their wellbeing. They make sure that pupils receive timely support from the right services. This means that leaders act on any concerns quickly.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, visits and outdoor experiences. These include residential trips to the Lake District, outdoor adventures such as sailing and caving and visits to local places of heritage and interest. Leaders check pupils' participation regularly to make sure that pupils who need support are able to take part. These experiences help pupils to develop the confidence that they need for life in modern Britain.

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Achievement Needs attention

Some pupils are not as prepared as they could be for their next stage. For example, some older pupils make errors in their spelling and grammar when writing. This prevents these pupils from writing well across subjects. Some pupils also move on to new learning before they are ready. This means they do not build secure knowledge across subjects. Leaders have taken action to improve the curriculum and teaching. This helps pupils currently at the school to have a secure knowledge of what they have been taught more recently.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, results for the small number of pupils have been variable, above the national average in some years and below in others. Results in the phonics screening check have been broadly in line with the national average over time. In the most recent multiplication tables check, pupils achieved above it. Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make suitable progress from their starting points.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Over time, some pupils have missed too much time at school. Leaders work with families to understand the challenges that some pupils face. This helps some pupils to attend school more regularly. However, leaders' systems for monitoring attendance lack the precision needed to check that pupils are attending as often as they could. This means that some opportunities are missed to help families overcome barriers to attending school. As a result, these pupils continue to miss out on important learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Around this small school, there is a calm, orderly and purposeful learning environment. Positive and trusting relationships between staff and pupils are at the heart of school life. Leaders' changes to the curriculum and teaching are helping pupils to pay full attention in lessons. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. This helps them to get the most from every lesson. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need to manage their behaviour and learn alongside their classmates. Bullying or any discriminatory behaviour is not tolerated. When concerns arise, staff address them promptly. Pupils who struggle to manage their feelings receive helpful guidance from staff who know them well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel welcome and valued at Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School. Staff know pupils and their families well. This helps pupils to feel happy, cared for and safe. Pupils know who to turn to when they have a concern. New pupils settle quickly into school life. Pupils value the deep sense of community at the school. In this small school, every pupil is known individually and made to feel that they belong. Pupils speak warmly about school life and feel proud to be part of the school community. Pupils behave well. On the whole, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their lessons and enjoy learning new things. Bullying or any discriminatory behaviour is rare and not tolerated. Staff and pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. This helps to create an environment where pupils feel confident to share their views and ideas. When concerns arise, staff respond promptly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Some pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for the next stage of their education. Not all pupils have benefited equally from the improvements that leaders have put in place. For example, in their written work, some pupils continue to make errors in their handwriting or spelling. Some pupils are not in school as often as they could be, which means they miss out on learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs, visits and outdoor experiences. These take pupils beyond the school gates and help them to learn about the world around them. Pupils play an active part in their local community. This helps them to develop their character and broaden their horizons. These experiences help pupils to develop the confidence they need for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should improve their systems for monitoring pupils' attendance so that pupils do not miss out on important learning. Leaders should sharpen their systems for assessing pupils' knowledge across subjects so that teachers are able to identify, more precisely, the gaps caused by weaker previous curriculums. Teachers should use the information that they gather about pupils' writing to rectify gaps in their transcriptional skills, particularly handwriting and spelling.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Lune Valley Federation, which means other people in the federation also have responsibility for running the school. The federation is run by the headteacher, Nicole Davison, and overseen by a federated governing body, chaired by Lesley Brookbanks.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

This inspection took place from 14 to 15 July 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke to representatives of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors engaged with pupils throughout the inspection. They also spoke

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 14 July 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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School capacity

to some parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys and Ofsted Parent View.

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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.

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School capacity

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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School capacity

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Blackburn. It received a section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character in June 2025.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 55% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 55% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 4.9% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 6.2% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.2% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 13.5% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 14.9% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 16.7% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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