Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Elite outcomes with a clear Church school identity

High academic expectations show up early here, including in provision for two-year-olds, and they are backed by calm routines and consistently strong behaviour. The school sits among the highest-performing primaries in England (top 2%) for outcomes, and it is ranked 95th in England and 1st in Preston in the FindMySchool primary rankings, based on official data.

As a Church of England voluntary aided school, faith is not an optional extra. Families can apply through standard local authority admissions, but those seeking priority through worship attendance must complete an additional supplementary form by the published deadline. Demand is real, with 93 applications for 30 Reception offers in the latest data provided here, so it is wise to treat admissions planning as an active project rather than a passive hope.

The tone is purposeful and structured, with an emphasis on children becoming organised and independent from a young age. The values language is not vague. The most recent inspection material describes pupils demonstrating respect, love and courage through their behaviour, with “service” positioned as a practical priority rather than a slogan, such as community-focused challenges and charitable activity.

This is also a school where spoken language is treated as a foundation skill. The same official material points to a deliberate focus on oracy alongside reading, which in practice means children are expected to articulate ideas clearly, ask precise questions, and build vocabulary early. That culture tends to suit pupils who enjoy talking through their thinking, and families who value a school day that feels academically intentional rather than loosely arranged.

Leadership is stable. The headteacher is Mr Jim Blakely, and school governance information indicates he has been in post since January 2018.

Garstang St Thomas’ outcomes place it in rare company for a primary. In 2024, 95.33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 51.33% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores are also exceptionally high: Reading 109, Mathematics 112, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 114. Expected standard rates are very strong across subjects, including 93% in reading, 100% in mathematics, 100% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 96% in science.

Rankings reinforce the same picture. Ranked 95th in England and 1st in Preston for primary outcomes, this places the school among the highest-performing in England (top 2%). These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data.

For parents, the implication is straightforward. High attainment is not confined to a handful of pupils. The profile suggests that a large share of the cohort leaves Year 6 secure and ready for a demanding secondary curriculum, with a substantial proportion operating at greater depth.

Curriculum design is described as ambitious and carefully sequenced from Nursery through Year 6, with each lesson intended to connect to prior knowledge. The practical effect for pupils is usually coherence. Learning does not reset each year, and teachers can assume children remember and can use what has gone before.

Early reading is positioned as a core engine of progress. The published inspection material describes swift, precise support for pupils who fall behind, and a culture of daily reading that builds confident readers early. In many high-performing primaries, that combination, systematic early reading plus strong classroom practice in writing and mathematics, is what sustains results at scale.

The nursery dimension matters. Expectations are described as high from the point pupils enter two-year-old provision, and early years curriculum quality is presented as the platform for later achievement. For families joining in Nursery, that suggests consistency of approach, rather than a gentle early years experience followed by a sudden shift at Reception.

As a primary, the next step is Year 7 elsewhere, and the local pattern typically depends on Lancashire admissions and the particular family’s location and preferences. Garstang has a local secondary in the area, and many families also consider a wider set of options across Preston and Lancaster depending on travel and individual fit.

For pupils, what stands out is the likely strength of transition readiness. With very high attainment and a strong oracy focus described in official material, pupils are likely to arrive at secondary school able to read confidently, explain their thinking, and manage structured routines. That combination often supports a smooth academic and pastoral transition in Year 7.

Reception admission is coordinated through the local authority process, with applications for September 2026 entry submitted between 01 September 2025 and 15 January 2026. Offers are issued on 16 April 2026.

Because the school is oversubscribed, the oversubscription criteria matter. The published arrangements set an admission number of 30 for Reception. They prioritise, in order, looked after and previously looked after children and children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then specified exceptional medical or social circumstances, then siblings, then children living within a 2.5-mile radius, with additional priority categories linked to worship attendance and nursery attendance within that radius. Where distance is used, it is measured as a straight-line calculation.

For Church school priority, a supplementary information form is required. The same published arrangements state that families seeking consideration against faith criteria should return the supplementary form to the school by 15 January 2026, aligned with the main closing date.

Demand indicators support a cautious strategy. In the latest provided data, there were 93 applications for 30 offers for the primary entry route, which is about 3.1 applications per place.

If you are house-hunting or weighing realistic chances, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your likely distance position against the school’s admissions approach. Even without a published last-distance figure here, the overall demand level suggests that small differences in proximity and criteria can matter.

The school places significant weight on predictable routines and strong relationships, with the effect described as pupils feeling safe and knowing who to turn to with worries. The latest Ofsted inspection judged safeguarding arrangements to be effective.

Pastoral support also appears to include structured engagement with parents and carers, including a regular drop-in session identified in school materials. That can be particularly valuable for families navigating early years transitions, speech and language development, or attendance routines.

Extracurricular breadth is referenced in official inspection material, with trips and clubs positioned as a way for pupils to develop sporting, creative and speaking skills. A distinctive detail is the mention of pupils running a radio broadcast at lunchtimes, which points to genuine pupil responsibility rather than adult-led token roles.

The school’s published list of clubs has included gardening, sewing, drama, judo, Spanish, multi-sport, speed stacking, football, tennis, netball, athletics. For many children, these clubs are where confidence grows, friendships widen beyond the classroom, and school starts to feel like more than lessons and homework.

Service is also framed as a practical pillar. The published inspection content describes pupils taking on community-focused challenges and fundraising activity. In day-to-day terms, this tends to build a culture where children practise looking outward, not just competing for individual achievement.

The published school day indicates drop-off around 8:40am to 8:45am, with collection around 3:15pm to 3:20pm. Breakfast club drop-off is listed from 7:30am to 8:00am, and after-school provision runs with collection times up to 5:45pm.

As the school includes nursery provision, families should check the nursery’s session structure and wraparound arrangements directly via official school channels, and confirm how nursery attendance interacts with Reception admissions priorities.

• Competition for Reception places. With 93 applications for 30 offers in the latest provided data, the limiting factor for many families will be admission criteria rather than school quality.

• Church school admissions are procedural. If you want your application considered under faith criteria, the published arrangements require a supplementary form alongside the main application, by 15 January 2026.

• High expectations start early. Official material describes ambitious learning expectations beginning in two-year-old provision. That can be an excellent match for many children, but families should be comfortable with a purposeful tone from the outset.

• Nursery attendance can matter. The published criteria include priority for children attending the school nursery (with minimum attendance expectations stated) within the relevant distance category, so families considering Nursery should understand the admissions link clearly.

This is a high-performing Church of England primary where strong outcomes appear to rest on clear routines, ambitious curriculum sequencing, and a deliberate focus on language and oracy from early years onward. It suits families who want a structured, values-led education, are comfortable engaging with faith-based admissions rules where relevant, and are prepared to manage a competitive application process.