Crawford Village Primary School Review 2026: Outstanding small-school results with village-scale pastoral care

A small primary with big outcomes is an unusual combination; here, it is the defining feature. With a published capacity of 70 pupils, this is a genuinely close-knit setting, yet the most recent Key Stage 2 measures place attainment well above England averages. The school’s 2024 combined reading, writing and maths figure reaches 100%, compared with an England average of 62%, and the “higher standard” measure is also strikingly strong.

Set in Crawford Village within Lancashire, the school positions its identity around relationships, outdoor learning, and oracy. The on-site nursery widens the entry point for local families, and wraparound care is clearly structured with breakfast club and after school club hours published.

The most helpful clue to the school’s character sits in its scale. With a small roll, pupils tend to be known well by staff and by one another, which can suit children who benefit from consistency and familiar routines. The school explicitly emphasises positive relationships and confidence to “have a go” as part of its culture, and frames primary education as preparation for fulfilling lives rather than a narrow checklist.

The physical setting supports that “village school” feel. The school tour notes the building was constructed in 1913 and still retains much of its original character, which often matters to families who want a traditional small-school atmosphere rather than a large modern campus.

Leadership is presented plainly and accessibly on the school site. The headteacher listed is Debra Eaton, and day-to-day information is organised through clear parent pages covering the school day, wellbeing, and enrichment.

This is where the school differentiates itself most clearly. Ranked 416th in England and 1st in West Lancashire for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits well above England average (top 10%).

The underlying attainment measures from 2024 reinforce that picture. In reading, writing and maths combined, 100% reached the expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 46.67% achieved the higher threshold in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. Those are substantial gaps, and they help explain why the school’s ranking places it near the top locally.

Scaled scores are similarly strong, with reading at 112, mathematics at 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 110, alongside a combined total score of 330. For parents, the practical implication is that pupils appear to be leaving Year 6 with a high level of academic readiness, including secure core literacy and numeracy.

In a small primary, teaching quality is often experienced through responsiveness: how quickly staff identify gaps, how accurately learning is pitched, and how well pupils are stretched without being rushed. The published outcomes suggest that pupils are consistently moving through the curriculum securely, including at higher standard.

Curriculum messaging also points to breadth, not just test preparation. The school foregrounds outdoor learning through Forest School, and it runs subject “in action” strands (for example, English in Action, Maths in Action, Science in Action) which suggests an emphasis on applying learning rather than treating subjects as isolated silos.

Oracy is also given prominence in the site navigation and wider communications, which is often a proxy for classrooms that prioritise structured talk, vocabulary, and presentation skills, all of which tend to support stronger writing outcomes over time.

For a Lancashire state primary, transition is usually shaped by coordinated secondary admissions and travel practicality. Families typically shortlist local comprehensive options in the Skelmersdale area and surrounding communities, and may also consider faith-based schools where relevant, with the final outcome depending on parental preference order and oversubscription rules.

Where this school may be particularly helpful is in readiness for the move itself. Strong Key Stage 2 attainment can make the academic step up feel more manageable, especially in subjects that often drive early secondary confidence, such as reading comprehension, extended writing stamina, and mathematics fluency.

Parents planning ahead should treat Year 5 and early Year 6 as the key window for open events and secondary planning, then use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to keep a disciplined shortlist as admissions guidance updates each autumn.

Admissions demand looks high relative to the school’s size. For the Reception entry route there were 34 applications for 11 offers, which equates to about 3.09 applications per place, and the status is listed as oversubscribed. For a small school, that level of competition can feel immediate, because a handful of additional local families can materially change availability year to year.

The school’s admissions page confirms that the application period for Reception entry in September 2026 is closed, and notes that applications for September 2027 will open in September 2026. It also references Lancashire County Council as the route for Reception admissions and sets out that nursery admissions are managed directly through the school.

The nursery is positioned as an earlier entry point, with children able to start in paid sessions from the term after their third birthday, and in some cases the term before. Places and criteria are set out through the school’s own policy.

If you are house-hunting or weighing the realism of a place, a practical approach is to use FindMySchool Map Search to check your likely distance, then read the Lancashire oversubscription criteria carefully. Even when a school does not publish a precise “last distance offered” figure for a given year, distance remains a common tie-breaker in coordinated admissions.

Pastoral care is easier to organise well when routines are consistent and staff turnover is low enough for relationships to compound year on year. The school’s wellbeing pages signal that mental health and healthy living are treated as core themes rather than occasional assemblies, with specific content strands including meditation and mental health awareness.

Two practical initiatives underline how wellbeing is operationalised day to day. First, the Snack Shack is run as a healthy tuck shop for Years 1 to 6, staffed by pupil volunteers, with profits reinvested into equipment for break and lunchtime activities. That combines nutrition messaging with responsibility and pupil leadership.

Second, lunchtime culture is actively taught and celebrated through “Posh Nosh”, which focuses on manners and cutlery skills and links nominations to the school’s values. For families, this is a signal that the school pays attention to social development in the ordinary parts of the day, not only during lessons.

The latest Ofsted inspection, dated 06 December 2022, confirmed the school continues to be Outstanding.

Ofsted also judged safeguarding to be effective at the time of inspection.

Small schools can struggle to offer breadth; this one addresses that through structured enrichment and a clear outdoor learning identity. Forest School is offered to all year groups, which is a meaningful commitment in a primary setting because it suggests provision is planned as part of the curriculum experience rather than a one-off event.

Gardening Club provides a second strand of outdoor and environmental learning, running from spring through to the end of October. The description is concrete: pupils grow plants from seed, learn about recycling and wildlife, and take part in a local “Show What You Grow” competition where the school reports winning several prizes. The implication for pupils is regular, practical science and responsibility, plus the satisfaction of contributing to something that has a visible outcome.

The wider extracurricular offer is organised termly and shared with parents each term. While the list changes, the structure is clear: a mix of after-school and lunchtime clubs spanning arts, music, sport, crafts and wellbeing.

A final point worth noting is that pupil leadership appears to have multiple avenues. In addition to volunteering roles such as the Snack Shack, the site highlights pupil parliament and school council structures, which often suits children who like responsibility and representation roles.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual associated costs such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs where applicable.

The school day is published with clear timings: pupils arrive from 8:50am, registration begins at 9:00am, and the school day ends at 3:30pm, with total weekly hours stated as 33 hours 20 minutes. Breakfast Club runs 8:00am to 8:50am (pre-booking required) and After School Club runs 3:30pm to 5:25pm.

For travel, this is a village setting where driving, walking, and informal lift-sharing often feature heavily. The school also publishes guidance on parking around school, which is usually a signal that congestion at drop-off is managed actively and that families should expect local restrictions and neighbour sensitivity.

• A small school with high demand. With 34 applications for 11 offers in the Reception entry route data, competition can be intense for a school of this size. Families should plan early and treat admissions as a process, not a last-minute form.

• Limited “last distance” transparency. A precise last distance offered figure is not available for this school, so parents should use distance tools and Lancashire admissions guidance rather than relying on anecdotes.

• Outdoor learning is a central pillar. Forest School for all year groups and the seasonal Gardening Club will suit many pupils; children who strongly prefer indoor, desk-based routines may take longer to settle into that style of learning.

• Wraparound helps, but requires planning. Breakfast and after-school provision is clearly timetabled, yet places and booking routines matter in small settings. Working families should confirm availability and booking expectations early.

Crawford Village Primary School stands out because its results look like those of a much larger, more resourced setting, while the day-to-day experience remains that of a small village primary with clear routines and high visibility of pupil leadership. It suits families who value a close-knit environment, strong academic readiness by Year 6, and an outdoor learning thread that runs through school life. The main challenge is admission, because demand can outstrip places quickly in a school of this size.