Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School

Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School is a larger-than-average Church of England primary in an area of well-above-average deprivation, with above-average proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and receiving SEN support. Following a full section 5 inspection in April 2026, the school is judged to be fulfilling the expected standard across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met, and leaders have created an open, positive culture. Leaders know the school well and are taking effective action. Pupils' achievement is improving, behaviour is impeccable, attendance and persistent absence are improving, and the curriculum is well considered and exciting. Early years provision is strong, inclusion systems have been strengthened, and staff feel valued and supported. However, published 2025 attainment at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics remains below national averages, and overall attendance and persistent absence are still worse than national figures, although leaders' actions are having a positive impact. Next steps focus on matching activities more closely to pupils' needs, deepening pupils' understanding of fundamental British values and preparation for life in modern Britain, and continuing to reduce absence. Disadvantaged pupils' published outcomes are also well below national averages, with a large disadvantage gap, though the report notes current pupils' achievement is not fully reflected in the published data.

Strengths

• Pupils' achievement is improving over time and they build knowledge securely across a range of subjects.
• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, learn to read, write and use number facts quickly and confidently.
• Pupils' behaviour is impeccable, classrooms are calm and orderly, and bullying is uncommon.
• Leaders' effective work is improving attendance and reducing persistent absence, especially for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• The curriculum is well considered, exciting and skilfully mapped, with a strong focus on language and basic skills.
• Teaching quality is checked regularly and staff receive the training and support they need to deliver the curriculum well.
• Early years provision gives children a positive start, with strong routines, language development and targeted support.
• Inclusion systems have been strengthened, and pupils with barriers to learning are included fully in school life.
• Leadership and governance are knowledgeable, accurate about strengths and areas for development, and act in pupils' best interests.
• Staff feel valued and supported, with well-considered professional development and attention to wellbeing.
• Personal development is carefully structured, with responsive pastoral support and opportunities that build confidence and resilience.
• Pupils embrace cultural diversity, take on responsibilities, and leave school confident and ready for life in modern Britain.

Areas for Improvement

• Published 2025 attainment by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics is below the national average.
• Overall attendance remains below the national average, and persistent absence remains above the national average.
• Some activities designed by staff are not matched well enough to pupils' needs, hindering a few pupils from building on prior learning.
• Some pupils are less confident in recalling fundamental British values in detail.
• Leaders should further strengthen preparation for life in modern Britain so pupils gain a deeper understanding of fundamental British values.
• Disadvantaged pupils' published performance is well below national averages, with a large disadvantage gap.

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 Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.7% 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, 1.5% of pupils at Godfrey Ermen Memorial 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 Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.3% 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, 20.5% of pupils at Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.6% 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 Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School received £7,243 and spent £7,218 for each of its 386 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £111,000 (£288 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 Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School have?

Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School has 386 pupils on roll.

What age range does Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School cover?

Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School?

Godfrey Ermen Memorial CofE Primary School is at School Road, Eccles, Manchester, M30 7BJ.