New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Church of England primary with strong wraparound care

The headline measure at Key Stage 2 is exceptionally strong. In 2024, 99% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. That is not a small uplift, it is a different performance tier. The higher standard figure is also unusually high, with 39.67% achieving greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with 8% across England.

The scaled scores reinforce the same message. Reading averaged 109, maths 110, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 111. On high attainment, 48% achieved the higher score standard in reading and 48% in maths, while 61% did so in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Science is similarly strong, with 100% reaching the expected standard.

FindMySchool’s ranking, based on official outcomes data, places the school 417th in England and 5th in Preston for primary outcomes. That equates to performance well above the England average, within the top 10% of schools in England.

A practical interpretation for parents is that pupils who are secure in the basics are likely to be stretched rather than held back, and pupils who need support are in a system that is demonstrably effective at getting nearly everyone over the expected standard threshold.

The strongest signals in the available evidence point to a structured approach to early reading and a curriculum that is planned carefully by subject. The most recent inspection report describes early reading as a high priority, with a chosen phonics programme delivered consistently and extra help put in quickly for pupils who need it. The likely implication is a clear, cumulative start to literacy, with fewer children drifting in the early years.

Beyond English and maths, the curriculum is described as broad and balanced, with clear expectations for what pupils should learn in each topic and subject. Where this is done well, pupils tend to retain knowledge over time and build confidence in explaining what they know, rather than just completing tasks.

There is also a clear personal development thread running through teaching and learning. The curriculum enrichment offer is framed around four drivers, Aspirations; Global Citizens; Exploration and Adventure; and Healthy Body, Healthy Mind. The school lists themed weeks such as Anti-Bullying Week, Children’s Mental Health Week, Enterprise Week, World Book Day, Science Week, and Fair Trade Fortnight, plus year-group enrichments like Greek Day (Year 4) and Stone Age Day (Year 3). The implication for pupils is a wider vocabulary for the world and more frequent chances to learn through events, visitors, and trips, rather than only through classroom routines.

For a primary school, the most useful “destinations” information is what the local transition picture looks like. The school lists a set of secondary destinations that its pupils commonly move on to, spanning selective and non-selective options. These include Hutton Church of England Boys’ Grammar, Penwortham Girls’ High School, Priory Academy, Bishop Rawstone’s Church of England Academy, and All Hallow’s Catholic High School.

The presence of a grammar option in that list suggests there is at least some 11-plus ambition among families, even though the school also routes pupils into strong local comprehensive pathways. For parents, the key practical takeaway is to think early about the kind of secondary environment that will suit their child, since the peer group may include children preparing for selective tests alongside those focused on non-selective routes.

This is a voluntary aided Church of England primary, and admissions are coordinated through the local authority process. For September 2026 entry, Lancashire’s determined arrangements state that applications should be made online between 1 September 2025 and 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026. The planned Reception intake is 30 places.

If you want your application to be assessed under the faith criteria, you need to complete the school’s supplementary information form as well as the local authority application. The same determined arrangements make clear that failing to submit the supplementary form means the application is considered under lower priority criteria, because the governing board does not have the information needed to apply the faith criteria.

Demand looks meaningfully higher than supply. The most recent admissions data available shows 63 applications for 30 offers at the primary entry route, which is about 2.1 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed. There is no published “furthest distance at which a place was offered” figure in the available results for this school, so families should not rely on proximity assumptions without checking the latest local authority allocations and criteria.

A practical step that helps families avoid guesswork is using FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand how your address sits relative to the school and the relevant parish or faith criteria, then pairing that with the latest published admissions arrangements.

Pastoral strength shows up both in culture and in systems. The All Saints’ Way values programme is designed to give pupils a shared language for kindness, honesty, patience and resilience, which is the sort of framework that can reduce low-level conflict and make behaviour expectations explicit.

The most recent inspection report describes pupils as safe and very happy, and it is explicit that safeguarding arrangements are effective. This matters because it indicates clear procedures and an established culture where adults are attentive to concerns.

Attendance expectations are also set out clearly. The school states that classroom entrances close at 8.55am, which gives parents a practical benchmark for punctuality. The same page sets a school attendance target of 97% from April 2024, signalling an assertive approach to reducing absence.

The strongest extracurricular signals here are about breadth and refresh, rather than a single “signature” activity. The most recent inspection report describes a broad programme of clubs and experiences that is frequently refreshed to match pupils’ interests, plus opportunities to represent the school in competitions, drama productions and music events. It also notes that pupils can access instrumental tuition for instruments such as guitar and piano, which suggests music is a meaningful strand rather than an occasional add-on.

Leadership opportunities are unusually well-developed for a primary. The same official report lists roles including playground buddies, librarians and digital leaders. The implication is that pupils are not just “participating”, they are being taught how to contribute, organise, and take responsibility in age-appropriate ways.

There is also evidence of community-linked enrichment. Examples include video calls with authors and professionals and engagement with people from different faiths, plus curriculum trips, including a residential with a historical focus on the Vikings. For families, this suggests pupils are likely to have regular experiences that build confidence speaking to unfamiliar adults, asking questions, and connecting classroom learning to the wider world.

Wraparound provision adds another layer. Oaky’s Club runs breakfast club from 7.30am, and after-school club from 3.15pm until 6.00pm, with structured activities and snacks aligned to a healthy eating approach. It also operates with a clear capacity limit of 50 children and a booking expectation at least one working day in advance, which indicates a well-managed service rather than an informal afterthought.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Most day-to-day costs for families are likely to be the normal ones for a primary, uniform, trips, and optional extras, rather than core charges.

The school day structure is clear in parts of the published information. Classroom entrances close at 8.55am, and wraparound care is available via Oaky’s Club, with breakfast club from 7.30am and after-school club from 3.15pm until 6.00pm.

For transport, the school serves the New Longton community. Families should expect the usual peak-time congestion around drop-off and pick-up, and plan routes and parking with consideration for neighbours and safety.

• Competition for places. With 63 applications for 30 places in the most recent admissions data, demand exceeds supply. Families should treat admission as competitive and read the determined arrangements closely before assuming a place.

• Faith criteria paperwork matters. If you want faith criteria considered, the supplementary information form is required alongside the local authority application, and it must be returned by the stated deadline for the relevant intake year.

• A high-attainment environment. Results place the school well above England averages. That can be a strong fit for pupils who enjoy a brisk pace and clear expectations, but families may want to ask how support is tailored for children who need more time in specific areas.

• Wraparound needs planning. Oaky’s Club is a significant strength, but it operates with a capacity cap and an advance booking expectation, so families relying on childcare should build a routine early.

New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School stands out for elite-level Key Stage 2 outcomes and a coherent ethos that links values, behaviour, and personal development. Wraparound care is unusually clear and well-specified, which is a practical win for working families. Best suited to families who want a Church of England primary with high academic expectations, and who are organised enough to navigate a competitive admissions process and, where relevant, faith-based criteria.