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Small-school culture is the headline here, with a clear aim of preparing children for selective and independent senior schools, while still keeping daily life grounded in Catholic values. The age range runs from 2 to 11, with the early years structured around Oak House Nursery, including two named groups, Little Acorns (2 to 3) and Great Oaks (3 to 4).
Leadership is currently with Headmaster Charles Long. The school’s website does not publish an appointment date for the head; parents who need this for due diligence will usually get it in conversation during a tour or admissions meeting.
The most important recent development is regulatory rather than academic. The latest ISI inspection (18 to 20 November 2025) reported that standards relating to safeguarding were not met, alongside health and safety and leadership requirements.
This is a school that leans into the idea of “prep” as preparation, not simply primary education with fees. You see that in the language used about confidence, independence, and being ready for senior school interviews and entrance assessments. It also shows up in how the older pupils are organised, with a house structure intended to mix year groups and build identity across the school.
As a Catholic school, worship is not an add-on. The school describes a daily act of collective worship, participation in Mass and liturgies, and marking key points in the Church calendar such as Lent and Advent. At the same time, it explicitly states that children of other faiths, or none, are welcome, and that pupils learn about a range of faith traditions.
The school’s own history narrative is unusually detailed for a prep. It traces its origins to a parent-led initiative in 1953, the formal decision to open in June 1954, and the first opening in May 1955 with 40 pupils. It also explains the move to Oak House on Garstang Road in the early 1960s, enabled by mortgage support including Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees and the Society of Jesus.
A final piece of character, and a useful reality-check for prospective families, is how the school talks about outcomes beyond Year 6. It highlights alumni stories ranging from elite school and sport pathways to international competition, including former pupil Aryan Patel’s reported entry to Eton College, and Mark Tompsett winning bronze in the men’s S14 100m backstroke at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
As an independent preparatory school, there is no published Key Stage 2 performance data in the way parents might expect from a state primary, and the school is not ranked for primary outcomes. With that in mind, the best evidence of academic direction comes from curriculum structure and the stated preparation for senior school admissions.
The school describes subject specialist teaching from Year 3 onwards, intended to add depth, and it lists a broad spread of subjects for a small prep: English language and literature, maths, science, humanities, religious studies, music, drama, art, sport and computing, plus design and technology. Languages are a notable pillar, with French and Spanish (Spanish listed for Year 6).
For families prioritising selective routes, the school’s 11-plus pathway is unusually structured for this age range. It states that preparation begins as early as Year 3, with verbal and non-verbal reasoning introduced by the end of that year. From Year 4, reasoning is part of the syllabus and timetable, and the later years include weekly test-style practice and structured speaking and listening work linked to interview preparation.
The implication for parents is straightforward. This is a setting likely to suit children who respond well to routine practice, coaching, and structured feedback, particularly if the goal is competitive senior school entry. Children who find frequent testing stressful may need careful pastoral handling, and parents should ask how the school balances preparation with confidence and enjoyment.
Early years is described in explicit pedagogical terms rather than marketing generalities. The school states it follows the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework and also draws on the Curiosity Approach and Reggio Emilia, with a strong emphasis on environment and independent choice. It describes the learning space as a “third teacher”, and outlines how resources are made accessible and designed to invite exploration.
A practical strength here is integration between early years and the main school. Nursery children are described as taking part in weekly specialist sessions that include physical education, music, ICT, library visits, dance, art, Forest School and French, rather than being confined to a single-room model.
Further up the school, the curriculum description includes specific “extra” elements that are still clearly educational, not just enrichment. British Sign Language and Forest School are explicitly listed within the curriculum offering (Forest School in Lower Prep). The same page also references annual literacy events such as World Book Day, termly drama and reading workshops, and author talks.
For a prep, “destinations” matters most at Year 6. The school frames its purpose around secondary entrance examinations, with a stated track record in grammar school and independent senior school entry, although it does not publish a full destinations list or percentages on the pages accessed.
The 11-plus pathway gives clues to likely routes: GL-style assessments are mentioned in Year 5, and Year 6 includes weekly testing ahead of examinations in September, which aligns with many independent senior school assessment calendars and some selective test schedules.
Beyond Year 6, the school’s alumni page foregrounds examples rather than averages. It reports that some former pupils have moved into highly selective environments, including Eton College, and it also highlights elite sport pathways, including a former pupil signing with Everton F.C.. These are individual stories, not a destinations results, but they signal that ambitious pathways are part of the school narrative.
For parents shortlisting, a sensible next step is to ask, in writing, for the last three years of Year 6 destinations by school name, and to request clarity on how many pupils sit which entrance routes (grammar, independent, or local comprehensive).
Unlike state primaries, admission is not driven by catchment, and the school indicates it can accept enrolments at any point during a child’s primary years. For families moving into Preston mid-phase, that flexibility can be a deciding factor.
Visits are actively encouraged. The school’s site indicates it is open to tours throughout the year, offers taster days during term time, and offers 1-to-1 meetings with the head. An open day is listed in late January (for 2025), which suggests open events often cluster around that month, but families should check current dates directly because published open day listings can lag.
If you are comparing practical travel time alongside other local options, FindMySchool’s Map Search can still help, not for catchment priority, but for understanding the day-to-day reality of commute time, wraparound logistics, and whether after-school plans are sustainable. For families juggling multiple applications, the Saved Schools shortlist feature can also be useful to keep tour dates, fee notes, and admission steps in one place.
The school’s messaging puts pastoral support alongside academic preparation, with repeated emphasis on confidence and feeling safe. It presents itself as inclusive, and it describes individualised support and intervention alongside specialist teaching and assessment.
The most recent independent inspection evidence supports a picture of pupils benefiting from a warm, welcoming environment, and it describes staff training and prompt responses to wellbeing concerns. Recruitment checks are also described as being completed before adults begin working with pupils.
Parents should, however, treat safeguarding process questions as a mandatory part of due diligence at the moment. Ask what has changed since the November 2025 inspection, how internet filtering is managed, and what oversight exists for risk assessment and site checks. Those questions are not “difficult”, they are the baseline when standards have recently not been met.
Co-curricular life is described as an extension of learning rather than a bolt-on. The school highlights performing arts (drama and role play built through the age range), music from nursery through Year 6, creative art linked to cultural and historical study, and an explicit STEM focus.
There are also distinctive “whole-school” strands that act like clubs in practice because they recur and build over time. Forest School appears in both early years experience and the Lower Prep curriculum, and British Sign Language is listed as part of the academic programme. For many children, those are the memorable extras because they are skills-based and cumulative, not a one-off activity week.
The house system is another signature element for a small prep. Pupils are allocated to a house on enrolment, siblings are kept together, and Year 6 pupils can take elected leadership roles. Houses named on the school site include St Michael, St Gabriel, and St Raphael.
Outside term time, the school also runs a holiday club that is open beyond current pupils, which can matter for working families. The published schedule for Christmas holiday provision (2024) includes full day sessions and half day sessions, with pricing clearly stated.
The school publishes main school fees (Reception to Year 6) for academic year 2024/25, with annual and termly figures by phase. Reception to Year 2 is £10,071.12 per annum, Year 3 to Year 4 is £10,549.62 per annum, and Year 5 to Year 6 is £10,838.46 per annum. The termly equivalents are £3,357.04, £3,516.54, and £3,612.82 respectively, and the school states VAT is included.
The same page sets out what is included, namely tuition, meals (lunch and snacks), textbooks, societies, and most clubs. It also states a discount for paying annually, and sibling discount rules where one child is in the main school.
On financial access, the school describes a means-tested Community Award, reviewed annually, assessed case-by-case and approved at governing body discretion, with an academic assessment required.
Nursery fees are handled separately on the nursery pages. For early years pricing and any funded-hours arrangements, use the school’s published nursery information directly rather than relying on second-hand summaries.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per year
Term dates are published for both the main school and the nursery. The site includes a full set of term dates for 2024/25 and indicates 2025/26 term dates are available via downloads.
Daily start and finish times for the standard school day are not clearly stated on the pages accessed. What is clear is that certain closure days list a 6.00pm finish, and the holiday club provision runs 8.00am to 6.00pm for a full day option. Parents who need exact timings for transport or childcare planning should confirm the current daily timetable directly.
Transport support includes a published school bus option, which can be relevant for families commuting into Fulwood from other parts of Lancashire.
Safeguarding and compliance. ISI also noted weaknesses around internet filtering and referral of concerns about adults to the local authority designated officer, alongside broader risk and safety management gaps. Parents should ask for a clear account of remedial actions and current monitoring.
A preparation-heavy pathway. The 11-plus programme begins early, with regular test-style practice and interview-focused speaking and listening. That suits some children very well; others may need a lighter-touch approach.
Fee information currency. The school’s published fee schedule on its website is for 2024/25, and families should confirm the current 2025/26 figures and any changes to inclusions before committing.
Open day listings can lag. An open day is listed for late January 2025; treat that as a pattern indicator rather than a current calendar entry, and verify forthcoming dates directly.
This is a small Catholic prep that puts senior school readiness at the centre, with early years that is clearly structured and a curriculum that includes languages, Forest School, and British Sign Language. It will suit families who want a defined path through to selective or independent senior schools, and who value daily worship and Gospel values as part of school life. The key decision factor in 2026 is governance and safeguarding confidence; families should only shortlist this seriously once they are satisfied about the steps taken after the November 2025 inspection findings.
The education model is clearly defined, with subject breadth, specialist teaching from Year 3, and a structured 11-plus pathway that begins in Year 3. The most recent ISI inspection in November 2025 highlighted strengths in curriculum and teaching, but also identified compliance weaknesses, including safeguarding standards not being met at that time.
For 2024/25, the school publishes annual fees from £10,071.12 to £10,838.46 for Reception to Year 6, with termly fees from £3,357.04 to £3,612.82 depending on year group. VAT is stated as included, and the school lists inclusions such as tuition, meals, textbooks, societies, and most clubs. Nursery pricing is published separately on the nursery pages.
The school indicates it can accept new pupils at any point during primary years, and it invites families to arrange tours, taster days, and meetings with the head. Because admission is not catchment-led, the key fit questions are educational pace, pastoral match, and whether the 11-plus pathway is right for your child.
Preparation is described as beginning in Year 3, with verbal and non-verbal reasoning introduced by the end of that year. By Year 4, reasoning becomes part of the syllabus, and later years include weekly test-style practice plus structured speaking and listening work to support interviews.
The school describes daily collective worship, participation in Mass and liturgies, and celebration of key Church seasons such as Advent and Lent. It also states that pupils of other faiths, or none, are welcome and present for worship, and that learning includes understanding other faith traditions.
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