Garswood Primary and Nursery School

Garswood Primary and Nursery School is a highly effective and inclusive school where pupils flourish academically and personally. The inspection found exceptionally strong early years provision, with a rigorous, well-sequenced curriculum that prepares children exceptionally well for key stage 1. The school also runs 2-year-old provision and a nursery class. Across the rest of the school, pupils achieve highly, with outcomes consistently above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Attendance is well above national averages, and behaviour is excellent, creating a kind, respectful and harmonious environment. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and teaching is consistently clear and well-matched to pupils' needs. Leaders have a precise understanding of strengths and areas for improvement, and governance is highly effective in providing support and challenge. Inclusion is a particular strength, with swift adjustments and extensive support ensuring all pupils can thrive. Pupils benefit from a wide-ranging personal development programme that builds emotional understanding, British values, and prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Safeguarding standards are met. The only next step identified is to continue developing leadership capacity to maintain the current high standards and positive outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. There are no areas of underperformance or significant concerns; the school is in a very strong position.

Strengths

• Exceptional early years provision with a rigorous, well-sequenced curriculum
• Pupils achieve highly across a wide range of subjects, with outcomes above national averages
• Strong phonics and mathematics teaching, with all Year 1 pupils meeting the expected standard last year
• Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND make rapid progress and achieve very well
• Attendance is consistently above national averages for all groups
• Excellent behaviour and a kind, respectful atmosphere with rare bullying
• Broad, balanced and well-sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge over time
• Consistently clear teaching with effective checking and tailored support
• Highly effective inclusion with swift adjustments and extensive support for SEND
• Strong leadership and governance with accurate evaluation and effective support and challenge
• Well-supported staff with high-quality professional development and a positive culture
• Wide-ranging personal development programme including emotional support and British values
• Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain with rich wider opportunities
• Safeguarding standards are met with an open culture of safeguarding

Areas for Improvement

• Continue to develop leadership capacity to maintain high standards and outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Garswood Primary and Nursery School attended 97.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Garswood Primary and Nursery School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Garswood Primary and Nursery School had 24.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 18.3% of pupils at Garswood Primary and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Garswood Primary and Nursery School received £8,439 and spent £8,160 for each of its 208 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £102,000 (£492 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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• Secondary Schools

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What is Garswood Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Garswood Primary and Nursery School is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Garswood Primary and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Garswood Primary and Nursery School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Garswood Primary and Nursery School have?

Garswood Primary and Nursery School has 208 pupils on roll.

What age range does Garswood Primary and Nursery School cover?

Garswood Primary and Nursery School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Garswood Primary and Nursery School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Garswood Primary and Nursery School?

Garswood Primary and Nursery School is at Hamilton Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0SF.