Nateby Primary School Review 2026: Small village primary with strong KS2 outcomes and wide wraparound care

A small rural primary with a long local story, Nateby Primary combines mixed-age classes with academic results that sit comfortably above England averages. The school traces its roots to a village school founded in 1870 and opened in 1872, and it still reads as a tight-knit setting where pupils and staff know each other well.

In 2024, 82.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is also striking, 25.67% reached the higher standard versus 8% across England. Those numbers suggest a school that is doing more than getting most children over the line, it is also stretching a meaningful minority to deeper attainment.

Day to day practicality is a major strength. The published timings show on-site wraparound from 7.45am to 5.30pm, plus a 9.00am to 3.30pm school day, which matters in a village setting where childcare options can be limited.

Nateby’s identity is shaped by its size and structure. The school describes itself as being on the outskirts of Garstang, and runs mixed-age classes across its classrooms, which tends to create a family feel, older pupils modelling routines and younger pupils picking them up quickly.

The current head teacher is Mrs Helen Smith. Leadership messaging on the site places emphasis on community links, with a Parent, Staff and Friends Association supporting events and fundraising, alongside collaborative work with Nateby in Bloom.

Pastoral cues in the most recent inspection evidence point to a calm, supportive tone. Pupils are described as kind and caring towards each other, behaviour is described as consistently positive around school, and bullying is described as rare and dealt with effectively when it occurs. Pupils are also given responsibility roles such as book monitors and school councillors, which signals a setting that values contribution as well as compliance.

Nateby Primary’s most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes (2024) are stronger than the England picture on both expected standard and higher standard measures.

• Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 82.33% in 2024, compared with the England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 25.67% in 2024, compared with the England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores (2024): Reading 107, Maths 106, GPS 109 (where 100 is the expected standard).

These results imply two things for parents. First, the core basics are being secured for most pupils by the end of Year 6. Second, the stretch for higher attainers is not just present but visible in the higher standard figure, which sits well above England’s typical level.

On FindMySchool’s ranking for primary outcomes (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,751st in England and 18th in Preston, placing it within the top 25% of primary schools in England. That “top 25%” framing matters, it suggests performance is above the England average and consistently competitive in its wider area, even allowing for the volatility that can come with small cohorts.

Parents comparing nearby schools should use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these measures side by side, because a single percentage point shift can look dramatic in small primaries, and context helps.

Curriculum thinking is presented as intentional rather than improvised. External evidence describes leaders identifying the most important knowledge pupils should learn, sequencing it so pupils build over time from Reception to Year 6, and using routine checking to spot misconceptions and gaps.

Early reading is an explicit focus. The school introduced a phonics programme, and the evidence indicates that matched reading books are used so pupils practise the sounds they have learned, with extra support for pupils who start to fall behind. The practical implication for families is that early decoding is treated as a gatekeeper skill, which usually reduces later frustration in comprehension and writing.

A realistic note for parents, curriculum leadership depth varies by subject. The improvement priorities described point to the need for stronger subject-specific expertise in a small number of areas, and the need for consistent checking of what pupils have learned and remembered across all subjects. In a small school where staff cover multiple roles, that type of capacity building can be the difference between “good across the board” and “excellent in pockets”.

As a Lancashire village primary, transition is usually about two parallel routes, the local comprehensive pathway and, for some families, selective or faith options further afield depending on preference and transport.

What Nateby can do well in a small setting is prepare pupils for the step change in size and independence at Year 7. Mixed-age classes naturally build confidence in working with older peers and managing routines, which can help when pupils move into a much larger timetable-driven environment.

For families planning ahead, the most reliable next step is to check Lancashire’s secondary admissions guidance for the correct route and deadlines for your child’s year group. Nateby’s published admissions page signposts the county process and timings.

Nateby Primary is a Lancashire community school, with applications handled through the local authority route for Reception entry.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the published dates for Lancashire show:

• Applications open from 01 September 2025

• Statutory closing date Thursday 15 January 2026

• Offers issued Thursday 16 April 2026

The school’s published admission number for Reception is 15 for the 2026 to 2027 cycle.

Demand signals in the latest available entry data indicate an oversubscribed picture, with 29 applications recorded against 2 offers, which equates to 14.5 applications per place. In practice, numbers in small schools can swing year to year depending on local demographics and in-year movement, but oversubscription at that ratio is a clear signal that families should treat entry as competitive.

If you are moving into the area or applying outside the normal Reception round, the school signposts in-year applications via Lancashire.

A small school can often act quickly when a child is struggling, simply because staff communicate constantly and pupils are visible. Evidence from formal inspection describes pupils feeling safe and supported, and highlights a culture where safeguarding is treated as everyone’s responsibility and concerns are acted on promptly with appropriate external agencies where needed.

The school’s published Early Help information points to practical family support, including signposting, help accessing free school meals, preloved uniform, and access to counselling from professional therapeutic services in school. That mix suggests pastoral care that extends beyond “soft” wellbeing into concrete help families can use.

This is where Nateby’s small size does not mean small opportunity. The school publishes extensive wraparound and club provision across the week, with sessions available before school and after school.

Several specific examples help make this tangible:

• Cooking is explicitly referenced as a club strand, and inspection evidence also lists clubs including cooking, magic mayhem, and tennis. The implication is that enrichment is not limited to sport, and includes practical life skills and curiosity-led activities that suit primary-aged children.

• Historic and current materials reference themed clubs such as Love Your Library, sign language, film club, and Multi-skills, plus options like Writers’ Club and Let’s Get Cooking. That breadth matters for families with children who may not see themselves primarily as “sports club” pupils.

• The school timetable and newsletters also reference Forest School sessions and swimming for at least some groups, supporting a curriculum that includes outdoor learning and physical confidence-building.

Team representation is also part of the picture, with school teams listed including football, netball, swimming, rounders and athletics. In a small primary, opportunities to represent the school can be a major confidence-builder because staff can tailor roles and encouragement closely to the child.

The published school day runs 9.00am to 3.30pm, with wraparound available 7.45am to 5.30pm (collection options include 5.00pm or 5.30pm depending on the session).

For transport context, the school describes a setting just outside Garstang, about a mile from the A6, which is useful for families weighing drive time and pick-up logistics.

• Entry competitiveness. The most recent entry data available shows 29 applications and 2 offers, an exceptionally high applications-per-place ratio. Families should treat admissions as competitive and keep an eye on Lancashire’s published timelines.

• Small-cohort volatility. In small primaries, headline results can move year to year simply because each pupil represents a larger proportion. Use multi-year context where available and look at both expected and higher standard measures.

• Capacity for subject leadership. Improvement priorities describe the need for stronger subject-specific expertise and consistent checking of learning in a small number of subjects. For parents, the useful question at an open visit is how the school has built subject leadership capacity since the inspection.

• Mixed-age class model. Many children thrive with older role models and a family feel; others may prefer single-year classes. It is worth asking how the school differentiates for a wide age range within one room.

Nateby Primary School reads as a small village school with serious intent: strong KS2 outcomes, a calm and supportive culture, and unusually extensive wraparound for a rural setting. It will suit families who value community scale, mixed-age social confidence, and a school day that works for working patterns. The main limiting factor is likely to be admission, so families considering it should plan early and keep alternative options live.