Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Lytham St. Annes Review 2026: Faith-led primary with top-quartile outcomes

This is a Catholic primary that blends clear routines with ambitious expectations, and it shows in both culture and results. Recent Reception admissions data indicates demand is high, with 74 applications for 28 offers, so families should treat entry as competitive rather than automatic. Academically, outcomes sit above England average, and the school’s FindMySchool primary ranking places it comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England.

Leadership has also had a recent refresh. Mrs Natalie Gregan took up her headship in January 2023, after being appointed by governors to succeed the previous head.

What you get, in practical terms, is a school that takes reading and curriculum sequencing seriously, while also putting visible energy into faith life and service. The mix will suit many Catholic families, and also some non-Catholic families who actively want a school where Catholic ethos is central.

A defining feature here is the clarity of expectations. Pupils are expected to listen, work carefully, and treat each other with respect. The tone is purposeful, but not chilly. Older pupils are positioned as role models, and the language of responsibility is used consistently across age groups.

The Catholic character is not a label on the prospectus. Prayer is incorporated through the day (including assemblies, before meals, and end-of-day prayer), with Celebration of the Word and liturgical events building a shared rhythm. For families who want faith to be part of the everyday, that matters. For families who would rather keep religion separate from school life, it is a factor to weigh carefully.

Community contribution is also more than a one-off charity day. Formal evaluation notes pupils doing practical work with coastal rangers to develop sand dunes and performing for residents in local care settings. Those kinds of activities sit well with a school aiming to join faith, service, and education rather than treating them as separate lanes.

Historically, the school has deep local roots. A school-published nursery brochure describes the school as founded in 1896, with the present school completed in 1968 and the final move of remaining classes to the current location in September 1983. Even if day-to-day life is modern, that long runway often correlates with stable parish links and strong alumni see-it-as-our-school loyalty.

The headline for parents is simple: outcomes are strong and above England average, with particularly high performance in core areas.

In the most recent published KS2 outcomes in your dataset, 84.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 30% reached the higher threshold, well above the England average of 8%. Reading is a particular strength: 93% met the expected standard in reading, and the reading scaled score was 110 (with mathematics at 105 and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 108).

Rankings reinforce that picture. Ranked 2,301st in England and 1st in Lytham St. Annes for primary outcomes, this places the school above England average, comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data).

What that tends to mean in real classrooms is that the expected standard is not treated as a ceiling. Higher-attaining pupils are being pushed, and the fundamentals are embedded across year groups. Families comparing local primaries can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to see how these outcomes sit alongside nearby options, especially if you are weighing a move or trying to understand whether this is a standout in the immediate area.

Curriculum intent here is ambitious, but the more important point is how it is organised. Subject knowledge is deliberately broken into smaller steps across year groups, and teachers check understanding before moving on, which supports secure learning rather than superficial coverage.

Reading is explicitly positioned as central. Daily phonics from the start of school is part of the model, and support is described as prompt for pupils at risk of falling behind. The broader reading diet later includes poetry, novels and non-fiction, which supports writing across subjects rather than limiting literacy to English lessons.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is framed as early identification plus coordinated work with families and professionals. The important practical implication for parents is that needs are not expected to “wait their turn” until formal thresholds are met. If your child needs timely adjustments or targeted support, early action is part of the school’s operating style.

There is also evidence of academic enrichment beyond the core. External evaluation references opportunities such as debate, public performance, and science learning connected to a local university. That mix usually works best when a school is confident about its baseline curriculum and can afford to invest time in the wider “why” of learning.

As a primary, the key question is transition. The school site highlights links with St Bede’s High School, a local Catholic secondary, which will be a natural next step for many families seeking continuity of ethos from Year 6 to Year 7.

The more general point for parents is that strong literacy foundations and secure maths tend to travel well to any secondary route, Catholic or non-faith. If you are considering a range of secondary options, ask about the school’s transition work, including how Year 6 communication and pastoral handover are managed for children who need extra support or confidence building.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. The main “cost” is competition for places, and the admin details matter.

For Reception entry, applications are made through Lancashire’s coordinated admissions process, not directly to the school. Lancashire’s published timetable for September 2026 Reception entry states applications open on Monday 1 September 2025, with the national closing date on Thursday 15 January 2026, and offers issued on Thursday 16 April 2026.

Because this is a Catholic school, there is an additional layer for families applying on faith grounds. The school asks faith applicants to complete a supplementary information form alongside the local authority application. The school’s September 2026 supplementary form states it must be returned to the school by 15 January 2026.

Oversubscription is not theoretical. Your dataset shows 74 applications for 28 offers for the primary entry route, with an oversubscription ratio of 2.64 applications per place. That is the kind of demand level where details such as category evidence, deadline discipline, and sibling status (where relevant) can make the difference.

Families considering the school should also use the FindMySchool Map Search tool to sanity-check practicalities like daily travel time. Even when distance is not the formal deciding factor, commute friction is one of the most common reasons families end up declining a place or struggling with punctuality routines.

Pastoral support here is closely tied to routines and behaviour expectations rather than a “softly-softly” approach. The message is: calm learning conditions are part of wellbeing. Behaviour is described as consistent across the school, with staff acting quickly to stop bullying, and pupils expected to follow rules closely.

Safeguarding is also treated as a lived system, not a policy folder. Leaders provide safeguarding training, including for new staff, and staff are expected to recognise risk indicators and report concerns confidently. Pupils are also taught online safety through the curriculum, including what action to take if they encounter something that feels wrong.

If your child is anxious, socially cautious, or easily distracted by low-level disruption, this kind of structure can be a positive. If your child struggles with strict boundaries, you will want to understand the behaviour system in detail, including how the school balances consistency with restorative approaches.

The extracurricular offer is not just a generic list. Several activities are named and scheduled in ways that show they are part of the school’s weekly life.

Choir is a clear example. The school advertises choir sessions for Years 3 to 6, running after school, with performances lined up through the year. The implication for pupils is confidence-building through regular rehearsal and public performance, not simply “singing sometimes”.

Mini-Vinnies is another distinctive piece, and it fits the school’s Catholic social teaching emphasis. The school describes the group’s role in service activity such as Harvest support, food bank donations, and preparing prayers for school liturgies, with sessions running through the year. For many children, this is a concrete way to practise leadership and empathy that feels purposeful rather than tokenistic.

There is also evidence of gardening activity as a structured club, with pupils working on planting and maintaining an allotment area. That kind of hands-on, local project can suit pupils who learn best through practical responsibility rather than formal performance.

On the sport side, the school’s published material describes dance and gymnastics as being taught through pupils’ time at the school, building flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance.

Morning routines are clearly published. Gates open at 8:45am with a staggered entry system, and the register opens at 8:55am and closes at 9:05am.

Wraparound care is also defined. The school references Breakfast Club running 7:45am to 8:45am and After School Club running 3:30pm to 6:00pm, framed in the context of extended wraparound expectations. The wraparound offer is branded as All Stars, and it is run by current school staff, with limited places and advance booking encouraged.

Transport-wise, most families will be thinking about a walk or short drive within the Lytham St. Annes area. If you are coming from further afield, confirm admissions feasibility early, because an oversubscribed school is not one to rely on as a “maybe we will get lucky” option.

• Competitive Reception entry. Recent admissions data shows 74 applications for 28 offers, which is a meaningful level of oversubscription. Families should apply on time and make sure any supplementary evidence is correct and complete.

• Faith is central, not optional. The school welcomes Catholic and non-Catholic applicants, but it explicitly asks families to respect the school’s ethos. If you want a fully secular setting, this is unlikely to feel like the right fit.

• Structured expectations. High expectations for behaviour and attentiveness are part of the culture. Many pupils thrive in that clarity; some children need a more flexible style, especially in the early stages of regulation or neurodiversity identification.

• No published finish time in the key daily info. Start-of-day timings and wraparound hours are clear, but if you need exact end-of-day collection times for childcare planning, confirm directly with the school.

This is a high-performing Catholic primary with clear routines, strong literacy foundations, and a culture that takes service seriously. It suits families who want faith woven into school life, value structured expectations, and are comfortable engaging with a competitive admissions process. The limiting factor is entry rather than what happens once a place is secured.