Banks Lane Junior School

Banks Lane Junior School has made commendable progress since its last inspection, where it was rated as requiring improvement. The leadership team, led by the headteacher and deputy headteacher, has established a positive school culture where pupils feel welcomed and valued. The school enjoys strong parental support, with many families expressing satisfaction with their children's experiences. The curriculum is now well-designed and ambitious, with notable improvements in reading and mathematics, leading to better outcomes for current pupils, although past gaps in older pupils' learning still need addressing.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit positive attitudes and enjoyment towards learning.
• The leadership team has effectively collaborated with governors to drive improvements.
• Curriculum design has been carefully planned to build on prior learning.
• Reading has been prioritized, leading to increased engagement and development in literacy.
• The school promotes a strong sense of respect, courtesy, and moral purpose among pupils.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective, ensuring a safe environment for all students.
• Staff report high levels of support and well-being from school leadership.

Areas for Improvement

• Historical underperformance in reading and mathematics among older pupils.
• Gaps in learning for some older pupils due to previous curriculum weaknesses.
• Insufficient understanding of different cultures and fundamental British values among 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 Banks Lane Junior School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.8% 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 Banks Lane Junior 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 Banks Lane Junior School had 24.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.4% 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, 10.1% of pupils at Banks Lane Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% 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 Banks Lane Junior School received £5,688 and spent £5,847 for each of its 358 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £150,000 (£420 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 Stockport · Stockport local authority: places and applications

What is Banks Lane Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Banks Lane Junior School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Banks Lane Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Banks Lane Junior School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Banks Lane Junior School have?

Banks Lane Junior School has 358 pupils on roll.

What age range does Banks Lane Junior School cover?

Banks Lane Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Banks Lane Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Banks Lane Junior School?

Banks Lane Junior School is at Hempshaw Lane, Offerton, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 4PR.