Higher Failsworth Primary School

Oldham · M35 9EA

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 396 pupils, 30.8% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 12.9% on SEN support Behaviour 5.2% absence rate Staff 14.4% turnover Financials £6,157 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Higher Failsworth Primary School

General Information

Address: Stansfield Road, Failsworth, Oldham, M35 9EA – View on map
Phone: 01616812645
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Samantha Forster
Age range: 3-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

396 pupils out of 474 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 122
% eligible for free school meals: 30.8%
Pupil mix: 4 in 10 (less mixed than the Oldham average)
English as an additional language: 10% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 14.4% a year (Oldham 15.7%, 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.

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 Oldham: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 4 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.0 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 Oldham, 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: 5.2%
Persistently absent pupils: 13.6%
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: 12.9%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.3%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 22 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 13 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 5 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 4 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 6 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Hearing impairment: 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 2024 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: 40% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 0% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 18 percentage points below the Oldham average (58%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well below (3-year average 48% against an expected 61%)
3-year average (expected standard): 48%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 55% · Writing 53% · Maths 68% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 55%
Average test scores: reading 103, maths 102
Based on: 60 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 schoolOldham averageEngland↘ Falling Down 9 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 18 percentage points below the Oldham average (58%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 66th of 71 junior and primary schools in the area

#65St Luke's CofE Primary School41%
=66Alt Academy40%
=66Higher Failsworth Primary School40%
=66Woodlands Primary Academy40%
#69Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School39%

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

#1Christ Church CofE Primary School90%
#2St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School87%
=3Diggle School80%
=3Rushcroft Primary School80%
=5Crompton Primary School79%
=5Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School79%
=7Buckstones Primary School77%
=7St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton77%
#9St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School76%
=10Fir Bank Primary School73%
=10Roundthorn Primary Academy73%
=10St Agnes CofE Primary School73%
=10Westwood Academy73%
#14St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary School72%
=15Christ Church CofE Primary School70%
=15Limehurst Community Primary School70%
#17Friezland Primary School69%
=18Burnley Brow Community School68%
=18St Edwards Roman Catholic Primary, a Voluntary Academy68%
=20Greenfield St Mary's CofE School67%
=20Woodhouses Voluntary Primary School67%
#22Beal Vale Primary School66%
=23Greenfield Primary School65%
=23Mills Hill Primary School65%
=23St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School65%
=26Knowsley Junior School64%
=26St Chad's Church of England Primary School64%
=28Delph Primary School63%
=28Holy Family RC Primary School63%
=28Royton Hall Primary School63%
=28St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School63%
#32St Thomas CofE Primary School62%
=33Werneth Primary School60%
=33Yew Tree Community School60%
=35Hey-with-Zion Primary School59%
=35Willowpark Primary Academy59%
=37Coppice Primary Academy58%
=37Holy Cross Ceva Primary School58%
=37Richmond Academy58%
=40Greenacres Primary Academy57%
=40Oasis Academy Clarksfield57%
#42Littlemoor Primary School56%
=43Freehold Community Academy55%
=43Hodge Clough Primary School55%
#45Beever Primary School54%
=46Mayfield Primary School53%
=46Northmoor Academy53%
=46Stanley Road Primary School53%
=46Thorp Primary School53%
=50East Crompton St George's CofE School52%
=50East Crompton St James CofE Primary School52%
=50South Failsworth Community Primary School52%
#53St Hilda's CofE Primary School51%
=54Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery School50%
=54St Hugh's CofE Primary School50%
=54St John's Church of England Primary School50%
=57Greenhill Academy48%
=57Medlock Valley Primary School48%
#59Horton Mill Community Primary School47%
=60Bare Trees Primary School45%
=60Mather Street Primary School45%
=62Alexandra Park Junior School43%
=62Broadfield Primary School43%
=62Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School43%
#65St Luke's CofE Primary School41%
=66Alt Academy40%
=66Higher Failsworth Primary School40%
=66Woodlands Primary Academy40%
#69Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School39%
#70St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary School37%
#71Oasis Academy Limeside36%

View full Ofsted inspection report

19th of 59 primary schools in Oldham for Ofsted rating

#17Greenhill AcademyGood
#18Hey-with-Zion Primary SchoolGood
#19Higher Failsworth Primary SchoolGood
#20Hodge Clough Primary SchoolGood
#21Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood

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

#1Corpus Christi RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyOutstanding
#2Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolOutstanding
#3Westwood AcademyOutstanding
#4Alt AcademyGood
#5Bare Trees Primary SchoolGood
#6Beal Vale Primary SchoolGood
#7Beever Primary SchoolGood
#8Burnley Brow Community SchoolGood
#9Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolGood
#10Crompton Primary SchoolGood
#11Delph Primary SchoolGood
#12Diggle SchoolGood
#13Fir Bank Primary SchoolGood
#14Freehold Community AcademyGood
#15Greenacres Primary AcademyGood
#16Greenfield St Mary's CofE SchoolGood
#17Greenhill AcademyGood
#18Hey-with-Zion Primary SchoolGood
#19Higher Failsworth Primary SchoolGood
#20Hodge Clough Primary SchoolGood
#21Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#22Holy Trinity CofE Dobcross Primary SchoolGood
#23Limehurst Community Primary SchoolGood
#24Medlock Valley Primary SchoolGood
#25Oasis Academy ClarksfieldGood
#26Richmond AcademyGood
#27Roundthorn Primary AcademyGood
#28Royton Hall Primary SchoolGood
#29Rushcroft Primary SchoolGood
#30South Failsworth Community Primary SchoolGood
#31St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary SchoolGood
#32St Chad's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#33St Hilda's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#34St Hugh's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#35St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#36St Joseph's RC Junior, Infant and Nursery School, A Voluntary AcademyGood
#37St Luke's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#38St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolGood
#39St Mary's CofE Primary School High CromptonGood
#40St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#41St Matthew's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#42St Theresa's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#43St Thomas CofE Primary SchoolGood
#44St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary SchoolGood
#45St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary SchoolGood
#46St. Paul's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#47Stanley Road Primary SchoolGood
#48Thornham St. James CofE Primary SchoolGood
#49Thorp Primary SchoolGood
#50Werneth Primary SchoolGood
#51Whitegate End Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#52Willowpark Primary AcademyGood
#53Yew Tree Community SchoolGood
#54Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery SchoolRequires improvement
#55Littlemoor Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#56Mayfield Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#57Oasis Academy LimesideRequires improvement
#58St Anne's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRequires improvement
#59St Patrick's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,157 (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.

57th of 76 primary schools in Oldham for spending per pupil

#55Freehold Community Academy£6,339
#56Woodlands Primary Academy£6,338
#57Higher Failsworth Primary School£6,157
#58Mills Hill Primary School£6,141
#59Thorp Primary School£6,115

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

#1Christ Church CofE Primary School£12,174
#2St Luke's CofE Primary School£8,600
#3Beever Primary School£8,474
#4Friezland Primary School£8,279
#5East Crompton St George's CofE School£8,143
#6Medlock Valley Primary School£8,038
#7Holy Cross Ceva Primary School£7,906
#8Northmoor Academy£7,896
#9St Hugh's CofE Primary School£7,864
#10St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School£7,859
#11St Agnes CofE Primary School£7,763
#12Horton Mill Community Primary School£7,741
#13Willowpark Primary Academy£7,704
#14Mather Street Primary School£7,703
#15Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery School£7,648
#16St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary School£7,610
#17Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School£7,561
#18Alt Academy£7,510
#19Littlemoor Primary School£7,482
#20East Crompton St James CofE Primary School£7,479
#21Broadfield Primary School£7,382
#22Holy Family RC Primary School£7,358
#23Stanley Road Primary School£7,170
#24Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School£7,154
#25St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School£7,139
#26Limehurst Community Primary School£7,132
#27Burnley Brow Community School£7,130
#28St Thomas CofE Primary School£7,120
#29St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School£7,114
#30Royton Hall Primary School£7,105
#31Rushcroft Primary School£7,079
#32Werneth Primary School£7,018
#33Bare Trees Primary School£7,011
#34Richmond Academy£6,999
#35Beal Vale Primary School£6,964
#36Greenfield St Mary's CofE School£6,959
#37Hodge Clough Primary School£6,921
#38St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary School£6,921
#39Oasis Academy Limeside£6,912
#40Christ Church CofE Primary School£6,902
#41St Hilda's CofE Primary School£6,902
#42St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School£6,898
#43St Edwards Roman Catholic Primary, a Voluntary Academy£6,885
#44Roundthorn Primary Academy£6,866
#45Westwood Academy£6,839
#46South Failsworth Community Primary School£6,698
#47Yew Tree Community School£6,651
#48Mayfield Primary School£6,611
#49St Chad's Church of England Primary School£6,594
#50St John's Church of England Primary School£6,553
#51Greenacres Primary Academy£6,481
#52Woodhouses Voluntary Primary School£6,471
#53Diggle School£6,427
#54Greenhill Academy£6,388
#55Freehold Community Academy£6,339
#56Woodlands Primary Academy£6,338
#57Higher Failsworth Primary School£6,157
#58Mills Hill Primary School£6,141
#59Thorp Primary School£6,115
#60Oasis Academy Clarksfield£6,091
#61Coppice Primary Academy£6,087
#62Delph Primary School£6,085
#63Hey-with-Zion Primary School£6,085
#64Greenfield Primary School£6,076
#65Crompton Primary School£6,073
#66St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton£6,029
#67Fir Bank Primary School£5,987
#68Buckstones Primary School£5,878
#69Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School£5,878
#70St Patrick's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£5,411
#71St. Paul's CofE Primary School£4,496
#72St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£4,072
#73Thornham St. James CofE Primary School£3,689
#74St Matthew's CofE Primary School£3,123
#75Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£1,060
#76St Herbert's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£907

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

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