St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy Catchment Area
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is an academy converter primary school in Preston, Lancashire , serving pupils aged 3-11, with 456 pupils, and a capacity of 406 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
3-11
Age range
456
Pupils
406
Capacity
112%
Fill rate
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy?
The catchment area for St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is managed by Lancashire and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
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Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Lancashire publishes the 2027 St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Lancashire before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Lancashire catchment area documents →St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy: heavily oversubscribed at 112% capacity
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy has a published admission number of 406 places. 456 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 112%. At 112% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Lancashire allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 28.4% of pupils at St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Lancashire.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Lancashire publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Lancashire Council school admissions (official) →
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy: School Information
- Full address
- New Hall Lane, Preston, PR1 5XB
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 3-11 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 28.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 148904
Other Primary Schools in Preston
If St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Preston are the next closest alternatives.
Forton Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR3 0AS
Nateby Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR3 0JH
Kirkham and Wesham Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR4 2JP
Fulwood and Cadley Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR2 3QT
Harris Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR2 7EE
Kennington Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PR2 8ER
Other Church of England Schools in Lancashire
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Lancashire. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
St Stephen's CofE School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · PRESTON
Barnoldswick Church of England Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Barnoldswick
Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Preston
Cop Lane Church of England Primary School, Penwortham Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Preston
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
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Frequently Asked Questions: St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy
What is the catchment area for St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy? ▾
The catchment area for St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy currently has 456 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 406 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy? ▾
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Lancashire before each admissions cycle.
What age range does St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy cover? ▾
St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school in Preston, Lancashire, serving pupils aged 3-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.