Community school · Lancashire

Tonacliffe Primary School

3–11Ages
294Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119271URN

Tonacliffe Road, Whitworth, Tonacliffe School, Tonacliffe Road, Whitworth, OL12 8SS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

71 applications for 28 places · 180th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

61%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 2 July 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Lancashire median (2.6) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

71 applications · 28 places offered · 27 named it first

2026 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 1.8; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Lancashire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	28	71	2.5	27	0.96
Sep 2025	41	80	2.0	36	0.88
Sep 2024	27	63	2.3	26	0.96
Sep 2023	28	68	2.4	25	0.89
Sep 2022	42	77	1.8	38	0.90
Sep 2021	46	93	2.0	48	1.04
Sep 2020	43	88	2.1	52	1.21
Sep 2019	43	92	2.1	40	0.93
Sep 2018	41	90	2.2	34	0.83
Sep 2017	42	84	2.0	40	0.95
Sep 2016	44	79	1.8	42	0.95
Sep 2015	46	84	1.8	47	1.02
Sep 2014	46	101	2.2	60	1.30

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 68% · Maths 77% → all three 61% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard61%241st of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard39%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard68%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth23%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard77%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard18%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	61%	5%	106	103
2023/24	43%	0%	104	101
2022/23	73%	9%	106	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Tonacliffe Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.5applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School
0.8 km · Lancashire

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Shawclough Community Primary School
1.8 km · Rochdale

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth
1.8 km · Lancashire

Good2024

2.1applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Healey Foundation Primary School
1.9 km · Rochdale

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Meanwood Community Nursery and Primary School
2.8 km · Rochdale

Good2024

1.9applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Norden Primary Academy
2.8 km · Rochdale

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place
Greenbank Primary School
2.9 km · Rochdale

Good2022

2.4applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
All Saints Church of England Primary School
3.0 km · Rochdale

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.7applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119271 · 888/2272
Capacity: 315 pupils · 294 on roll
Free school meals: 14.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Tonacliffe Road, Whitworth, Tonacliffe School, Tonacliffe Road, Whitworth, OL12 8SS
Local authority: Lancashire · Rossendale

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources