South Failsworth Community Primary School

Oldham · M35 0NY

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 441 pupils, 18.8% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 14.1% on SEN support Behaviour 5.1% absence rate Staff 11.3% turnover Financials £6,698 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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South Failsworth Community Primary School

General Information

Address: Paddock Lane, Failsworth, Manchester, M35 0NY – View on map
Phone: 01616816351
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Alison Murray
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 50 families put it first for 58 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. 11 of the 58 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 8 · 2024 9 · 2025 8 · 2026 9
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

441 pupils out of 420 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 83
% eligible for free school meals: 18.8%
Pupil mix: 3 in 10 (less mixed than the Oldham average)
English as an additional language: 8% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 11.3% a year (Oldham 15.7%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 44% moved to another school, 56% 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: 5.1%
Persistently absent pupils: 10.5%
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: 14.1%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.3%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 23 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 17 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 10 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Other difficulty or disability: 3 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 6 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 5 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 2 pupils
Severe learning difficulty: 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: 52% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 2% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 6 percentage points below the Oldham average (58%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Below (3-year average 58% against an expected 65%)
3-year average (expected standard): 58%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 77% · Writing 65% · Maths 62% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 68%
Average test scores: reading 105, maths 101
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 13 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 6 percentage points below the Oldham average (58%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 50th of 71 junior and primary schools in the area

=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%

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

33rd of 64 primary schools in Oldham for Ofsted rating

#31Royton Hall Primary SchoolGood
#32Rushcroft Primary SchoolGood
#33South Failsworth Community Primary SchoolGood
#34St Agnes CofE Primary SchoolGood
#35St Anne's CofE (Aided) 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

#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
#10Coppice Primary AcademyGood
#11Crompton Primary SchoolGood
#12Delph Primary SchoolGood
#13Diggle SchoolGood
#14Fir Bank Primary SchoolGood
#15Freehold Community AcademyGood
#16Friezland Primary SchoolGood
#17Greenacres Primary AcademyGood
#18Greenfield St Mary's CofE SchoolGood
#19Greenhill AcademyGood
#20Hey-with-Zion Primary SchoolGood
#21Higher Failsworth Primary SchoolGood
#22Hodge Clough Primary SchoolGood
#23Holy Cross Ceva Primary SchoolGood
#24Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#25Holy Trinity CofE Dobcross Primary SchoolGood
#26Limehurst Community Primary SchoolGood
#27Medlock Valley Primary SchoolGood
#28Oasis Academy ClarksfieldGood
#29Richmond AcademyGood
#30Roundthorn Primary AcademyGood
#31Royton Hall Primary SchoolGood
#32Rushcroft Primary SchoolGood
#33South Failsworth Community Primary SchoolGood
#34St Agnes CofE Primary SchoolGood
#35St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary SchoolGood
#36St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary SchoolGood
#37St Chad's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#38St Hilda's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#39St Hugh's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#40St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#41St Joseph's RC Junior, Infant and Nursery School, A Voluntary AcademyGood
#42St Luke's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#43St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery SchoolGood
#44St Mary's CofE Primary School High CromptonGood
#45St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#46St Matthew's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#47St Theresa's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#48St Thomas CofE Primary SchoolGood
#49St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary SchoolGood
#50St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary SchoolGood
#51St. Paul's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#52Stanley Road Primary SchoolGood
#53Thornham St. James CofE Primary SchoolGood
#54Thorp Primary SchoolGood
#55Werneth Primary SchoolGood
#56Whitegate End Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#57Willowpark Primary AcademyGood
#58Yew Tree Community SchoolGood
#59Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery SchoolRequires improvement
#60Littlemoor Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#61Mayfield Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#62Oasis Academy LimesideRequires improvement
#63St Anne's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRequires improvement
#64St Patrick's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,698 (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.

46th of 76 primary schools in Oldham for spending per pupil

#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

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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