Community school · Oldham

Higher Failsworth Primary School

3–11Ages
396Pupils
PrimaryPhase
134784URN

Stansfield Road, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 9EA · 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

2.2per place

close to Oldham median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Oldham

67 applications for 31 places · 38th of 70 in Oldham

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

40%met the expected standard

Oldham 59% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 10 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

Inspection history

10 July 2024
Graded inspection: Good
9 February 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

2.2applications per place, Reception

close to Oldham median (2.3) close to England median (2.2)

67 applications · 31 places offered · 27 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.2; Oldham median median 2.3
2025 1.6; Oldham median median 1.8
2024 1.5; Oldham median median 1.9
2023 1.6; Oldham median median 1.9
2022 1.5; Oldham median median 1.7
2021 1.5; Oldham median median 1.8
2020 1.3; Oldham median median 1.8
2019 1.6; Oldham median median 1.9
2018 1.5; Oldham median median 1.9
2017 1.6; Oldham median median 1.8
2016 1.7; Oldham median median 1.8
2015 1.6; Oldham median median 1.8
2014 1.4; Oldham median median 1.8

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

This school
Oldham 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	31	67	2.2	27	0.87
Sep 2025	33	53	1.6	26	0.79
Sep 2024	55	82	1.5	49	0.89
Sep 2023	47	73	1.6	44	0.94
Sep 2022	41	61	1.5	37	0.90
Sep 2021	38	55	1.5	37	0.97
Sep 2020	54	72	1.3	46	0.85
Sep 2019	48	77	1.6	43	0.90
Sep 2018	52	77	1.5	34	0.65
Sep 2017	36	56	1.6	31	0.86
Sep 2016	42	73	1.7	37	0.88
Sep 2015	51	79	1.6	43	0.84
Sep 2014	48	67	1.4	44	0.92

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 55% · Writing 53% · Maths 68% → all three 40% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard40%66th of 71 in Oldham

Oldham 59% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard55%

Oldham 72% England 78%

Higher standard23%

Oldham 24% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard53%

Oldham 72% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Oldham 6% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard68%

Oldham 72% England 77%

Higher standard8%

Oldham 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Oldham median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	40%	0%	103	102
2023/24	55%	2%	104	103
2022/23	49%	2%	103	102

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

Higher Failsworth Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.2applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
St John's Church of England Primary School
0.6 km · Oldham

Good2023

2.7applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School
1.1 km · Oldham

Good2023

1.8applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
New Moston Primary School
1.2 km · Manchester

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.9applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School
1.3 km · Oldham

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
1.3 km · Oldham

Remains Good · improving2023

1.8applications per place
Oasis Academy Limeside
1.4 km · Oldham

Requires improvement2024

1.5applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School
1.4 km · Oldham

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.7applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Mather Street Primary School
1.4 km · Oldham

2026

1.7applications per place 45%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 134784 · 353/3504
Capacity: 474 pupils · 396 on roll
Free school meals: 30.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2004
Address: Stansfield Road, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 9EA
Local authority: Oldham

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