The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster

Lancaster · LA1 3BT

General information Primary School · 4-11 years Who goes here 195 pupils, 25.1% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 9.7% on SEN support Behaviour 5.6% absence rate Staff 7.7% turnover Financials £7,206 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster

General Information

Address: Balmoral Road, Lancaster, LA1 3BT – View on map
Phone: 0152464686
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Nicola Holt
Age range: 4-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 18 families put it first for 18 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 9 · 2024 9 · 2025 10 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

195 pupils out of 210 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 49
% eligible for free school meals: 25.1%
Pupil mix: 7 in 10 (more mixed than the Lancaster average)
English as an additional language: 31% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 7.7% a year (Lancaster 11.5%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 0% moved to another school, 100% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. This is a small staff, so one or two teachers leaving moves the figure a lot.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Lancashire: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 9 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 3
Suspensions for bullying: 18 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 7 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Lancashire (the council area this school is in), not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 5.6%
Persistently absent pupils: 13.4%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 9.7%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.1%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 10 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 7 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Speech, language and communications needs: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2016 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 80% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 3% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 20 percentage points above the Lancaster average (60%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 79% against an expected 64%)
3-year average (expected standard): 79%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 93% · Writing 83% · Maths 90% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 87%
Average test scores: reading 109, maths 105
Based on: 30 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolLancaster averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 20 percentage points above the Lancaster average (60%).

Year 6 SATs: 2nd of 49 junior and primary schools in the area

#1Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School85%
#2The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster80%
#3St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster79%
#4Heysham St Peter's Church of England Primary School76%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School85%
#2The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster80%
#3St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster79%
#4Heysham St Peter's Church of England Primary School76%
#5Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School74%
=6Caton St Paul's Church of England Primary School73%
=6Great Wood Primary School73%
=6Morecambe and Heysham Torrisholme Community Primary School73%
#9Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary School71%
=10Moorside Primary School70%
=10Morecambe and Heysham Grosvenor Park Primary School70%
=10Mossgate Primary School70%
=10Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School70%
=14Nether Kellet Community Primary School69%
=14Quernmore Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School69%
#16Cawthorne's Endowed School67%
#17Lancaster Dallas Road Community Primary School65%
=18Lancaster Christ Church Church of England Primary School64%
=18Overton St Helen's Church of England Primary School64%
=18St Wilfrid's Cof E Primary School64%
=21Carnforth Christ Church, Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School63%
=21Caton Primary School63%
=21Lancaster Ryelands Primary School63%
=21Scotforth St Paul's Church of England Primary and Nursery School63%
=25Bowerham Primary & Nursery School60%
=25Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School60%
#27Bolton-le-Sands Church of England Primary School59%
=28Silverdale St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School57%
=28St Patrick's Catholic Primary School57%
#30Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School55%
=31Cockerham Parochial CofE Primary School54%
=31Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Carnforth54%
=33Lancaster Road Primary School53%
=33Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School53%
=35St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe52%
=35West End Primary School52%
=37Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary School50%
=37Wray with Botton Endowed Primary School50%
#39Willow Lane Community Primary School46%
#40Arkholme Church of England Primary School42%
#41Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School41%
=42Leck St Peter's Church of England Primary School40%
=42Skerton St Luke's Church of England Primary School40%
=44Poulton-le-Sands Church of England Primary School36%
=44Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary School36%
#46St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Lancaster33%
#47Castle View Primary Academy31%
#48Morecambe Bay Community Primary School30%
#49Carnforth Community Primary School29%

View full Ofsted inspection report

28th of 37 primary schools in Lancaster for Ofsted rating

#26St Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#27Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#28The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, LancasterGood
#29Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary SchoolGood
#30Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Morecambe and Heysham Torrisholme Community Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, LancasterOutstanding
#3Arkholme Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#4Bolton-le-Sands Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#5Carnforth Community Primary SchoolGood
#6Caton Primary SchoolGood
#7Cawthorne's Endowed SchoolGood
#8Cockerham Parochial CofE Primary SchoolGood
#9Dolphinholme Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#10Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#11Great Wood Primary SchoolGood
#12Heysham St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#13Lancaster Dallas Road Community Primary SchoolGood
#14Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#15Moorside Primary SchoolGood
#16Morecambe and Heysham Grosvenor Park Primary SchoolGood
#17Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary SchoolGood
#18Mossgate Primary SchoolGood
#19Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, CarnforthGood
#20Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#21Overton St Helen's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#22Quernmore Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#23Scotforth St Paul's Church of England Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#24Silverdale St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#25Skerton St Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#26St Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#27Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#28The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, LancasterGood
#29Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary SchoolGood
#30Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary SchoolGood
#31West End Primary SchoolGood
#32Wray with Botton Endowed Primary SchoolGood
#33Yealand Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#34Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#35Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#36St Josephs Catholic Primary School, LancasterRequires improvement
#37St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MorecambeRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £7,206 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

31st of 52 primary schools in Lancaster for spending per pupil

#29Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School£7,235
#30St Patrick's Catholic Primary School£7,216
#31The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster£7,206
#32Mossgate Primary School£7,183
#33Nether Kellet Community Primary School£7,178

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School£28,663
#2Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£18,051
#3Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary School£17,754
#4Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School£12,281
#5Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School£11,248
#6Yealand Church of England Primary School£10,629
#7Leck St Peter's Church of England Primary School£10,245
#8Castle View Primary Academy£10,059
#9Silverdale St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£9,942
#10Cawthorne's Endowed School£9,897
#11Carnforth Community Primary School£9,867
#12Caton Primary School£9,683
#13Cockerham Parochial CofE Primary School£9,394
#14Wray with Botton Endowed Primary School£9,149
#15St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Lancaster£8,853
#16Morecambe Bay Community Primary School£8,738
#17Lancaster Ryelands Primary School£8,133
#18Poulton-le-Sands Church of England Primary School£7,884
#19Lancaster Road Primary School£7,876
#20Over Kellet Wilson's Endowed Church of England Primary School£7,824
#21Willow Lane Community Primary School£7,764
#22St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe£7,656
#23Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary School£7,649
#24West End Primary School£7,564
#25Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School£7,559
#26Arkholme Church of England Primary School£7,531
#27Quernmore Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£7,270
#28Skerton St Luke's Church of England Primary School£7,257
#29Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School£7,235
#30St Patrick's Catholic Primary School£7,216
#31The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster£7,206
#32Mossgate Primary School£7,183
#33Nether Kellet Community Primary School£7,178
#34Morecambe and Heysham Grosvenor Park Primary School£7,095
#35Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School£6,909
#36Carnforth Christ Church, Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School£6,906
#37Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Carnforth£6,894
#38Slyne-with-Hest, St Luke's, Church of England Primary School£6,832
#39Overton St Helen's Church of England Primary School£6,759
#40Lancaster Christ Church Church of England Primary School£6,752
#41Caton St Paul's Church of England Primary School£6,615
#42Bowerham Primary & Nursery School£6,563
#43Moorside Primary School£6,444
#44Lancaster Dallas Road Community Primary School£6,329
#45Great Wood Primary School£6,314
#46St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster£6,165
#47St Wilfrid's Cof E Primary School£6,160
#48Ellel St John the Evangelist Church of England Primary School£6,055
#49Scotforth St Paul's Church of England Primary and Nursery School£6,043
#50Heysham St Peter's Church of England Primary School£6,007
#51Bolton-le-Sands Church of England Primary School£5,968
#52Morecambe and Heysham Torrisholme Community Primary School£5,846

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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