Green Haworth Church of England Primary School

Green Haworth Church of England Primary School has been judged to require special measures following its May 2026 inspection. Inspectors found that the school is not providing an acceptable standard of education and that leaders and governors do not have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. Achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance are all graded urgent improvement, while attendance and behaviour, early years, inclusion, and personal development and wellbeing need attention. Safeguarding standards are met. Weaknesses are severe and long-standing. Published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 remain well below national averages, and many pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, leave ill-equipped for their next stage. The curriculum takes too little account of mixed-age classes, teaching expectations are too low, gaps in basic skills are not addressed, and pupils with SEND do not receive sufficient support. Leadership has an overly optimistic view of the school, previous improvement areas remain unresolved, and governance oversight is limited. Behaviour is inconsistent, and some pupils lose focus or give up. There are some positives. Attendance has improved and is close to the national average, with disadvantaged pupils attending above national figures; bullying is rare and handled well, and pupils generally behave well socially. Early years has warm relationships and a strengthened curriculum focus, though phonics and fine motor provision are inconsistent. The personal development offer is broad, and pupils benefit from positive relationships, community involvement and wider opportunities, but its impact is limited, including pupils' understanding of British values and diversity. The school is small, with 63 pupils on roll at inspection, a high proportion of pupils with SEN support, and mixed-age classes. It may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met and there is an open, positive safeguarding culture.
• Attendance has improved and is now close to the national average.
• Disadvantaged pupils' attendance is above national figures.
• Leaders use effective systems to promote regular attendance and reduce persistent absence.
• Leaders work purposefully with external agencies to support pupils and families.
• Pupils generally behave well during social times and interact positively.
• Bullying is rare and staff deal with incidents quickly and effectively.
• Early years children benefit from warm, caring relationships with staff.
• Children follow clear routines and develop increasing independence.
• Secure partnerships with parents and carers help staff understand children's needs.
• Leaders have strengthened the early years curriculum focus on communication, language, reading, writing and number.
• Children enjoy story time and speak confidently about familiar texts and characters.
• There is a clear phonics curriculum, and phonics teaching is more secure than other areas.
• Leaders identify pupils' needs quickly, including mid-year joiners, and work with families and external professionals.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding appropriately, including specialist speech and language support.
• The personal development offer is broad and well structured.
• PSHE teaches pupils how to keep healthy and safe, including online.
• Pupils can explain the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.
• Pupils know to speak to trusted adults if something does not feel right.
• Pupils have opportunities to explore talents and interests and contribute to the local community.
• Pupils relish representing the school and develop communication and resilience through adventurous activities.
• Staff develop positive relationships with pupils, helping them feel safe.
• Leaders are conscious of staff workload and take action to reduce unnecessary burdens.
• Parents and carers appreciate the open-door culture and trusting relationships with leaders and staff.
• Pupils are keen to contribute to school life.

Areas for Improvement

• School requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.
• Leaders and governors do not demonstrate the capacity to secure necessary improvement.
• Achievement is at urgent improvement and pupils do not achieve well.
• End-of-key-stage outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are well below national and have remained low over time.
• Many pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, leave ill-equipped for the next stage.
• Pupils have significant gaps in essential reading, writing and mathematics knowledge.
• Pupils remember little and their knowledge lacks depth across the curriculum.
• Pupils cannot make links across subjects and rely on disconnected facts.
• Curriculum weaknesses identified at the previous inspection remain unresolved.
• The curriculum takes too little account of mixed-age classes.
• Pupils are often taught concepts before they are ready and tasks are poorly matched.
• Teaching expectations are too low and teachers accept work containing errors.
• Teachers do not identify or address gaps in pupils' basic skills.
• Pupils with SEND do not receive sufficient support to achieve well across the curriculum.
• Phonics teaching is inconsistent and not all children access phonics.
• Early years provision has not prepared children well for Year 1.
• Early years focus on fine motor skills and handwriting is insufficient, leading to ingrained errors.
• Many pupils with barriers to learning do not achieve well.
• Some teachers do not adapt teaching to help pupils succeed, especially pupils with SEND.
• Reliance on additional support sessions has variable impact.
• Behaviour is inconsistent; too many pupils lose focus, show limited enthusiasm and give up.
• Staff do not consistently set clear behaviour expectations.
• Pupils often do not take pride in their work and lack confidence in their abilities.
• Personal development has limited impact; pupils cannot explain the significance of British values.
• Pupils' understanding of diversity is limited beyond ethnicity, gender or age.
• Some pupils lack a secure understanding of consent and how to say no.
• Some pupils cannot explain the skills they develop through leadership roles.
• Low expectations permeate the school and suppress improvement.
• Leaders have an overly optimistic view of the school's performance.
• Staff lack the knowledge and expertise to teach the curriculum effectively, especially for vulnerable pupils.
• Governors have limited oversight and lack an accurate understanding of weaknesses.
• Governors lack knowledge to carry out statutory duties, especially equalities and inclusion.
• Staff wellbeing is negatively affected by pupils' behaviour.
• Professional development is not implemented effectively, so staff knowledge is not up to date.
• Disadvantaged pupils' performance gaps are large in reading, writing and mathematics.
• School may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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 Green Haworth Church of England Primary School attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 15.4% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Green Haworth Church of England 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 Green Haworth Church of England Primary School had 16.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% 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, 32.3% of pupils at Green Haworth Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% 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 Green Haworth Church of England Primary School received £8,384 and spent £8,848 for each of its 65 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£153 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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What is Green Haworth Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Green Haworth Church of England Primary School is Urgent improvement, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Green Haworth Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Green Haworth Church of England Primary School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Green Haworth Church of England Primary School have?

Green Haworth Church of England Primary School has 65 pupils on roll.

What age range does Green Haworth Church of England Primary School cover?

Green Haworth Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Green Haworth Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 8% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Green Haworth Church of England Primary School?

Green Haworth Church of England Primary School is at School House Lane, Green Haworth, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 3SQ.