St Paul's CofE Primary School

St Paul’s CofE Primary is a happy, vibrant school with a highly positive and respectful culture. Pupils feel safe, behave exceptionally well and make a strong contribution to the school and wider community. Personal development is a particular strength, with pupils demonstrating maturity, inclusivity and a strong understanding of British values. The curriculum is ambitious and carefully sequenced, early years provision is well planned, and pupils with SEND are identified early and supported well. Most pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage. Leadership and governance are effective, staff are well trained and supported, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main area for improvement is that in a small number of subjects, staff do not check and address pupils’ gaps or misconceptions effectively enough, so some pupils move on before they are ready. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and, under current arrangements, no overall effectiveness grade was given.

Strengths

• Highly positive and respectful culture where pupils feel safe and valued
• Exceptional behaviour and attitudes, with older pupils acting as exemplary role models
• Outstanding personal development and strong contribution to the school and wider community
• Ambitious, carefully sequenced curriculum with clear knowledge progression
• Strong early years provision that develops communication, independence and social skills
• Effective early identification and support for pupils with SEND
• Strong phonics teaching and a well-developed love of reading
• High-quality staff training and strong subject knowledge in most areas
• Effective governance and consideration for staff well-being
• High attendance supported by robust school actions
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, staff do not address gaps or misconceptions effectively, so pupils move on before they are ready

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 St Paul's CofE Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.0% 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, 0.3% of pupils at St Paul's CofE Primary 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 St Paul's CofE Primary School had 18.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 23.4% of pupils at St Paul's CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 St Paul's CofE Primary School received £7,350 and spent £7,509 for each of its 355 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £166,000 (£468 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).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Manchester · Salford local authority: places and applications

What is St Paul's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Paul's CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was St Paul's CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Paul's CofE Primary School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does St Paul's CofE Primary School have?

St Paul's CofE Primary School has 355 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Paul's CofE Primary School cover?

St Paul's CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Paul's CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Paul's CofE Primary School?

St Paul's CofE Primary School is at Heathside Grove, Walkden, Worsley, Manchester, M28 3NZ.