Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth

Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School has demonstrated good overall effectiveness in its recent inspection, a notable shift from its previous outstanding rating, reflecting changes since its last inspection over a decade ago. Under the consistent leadership of the governing body, the school cultivates a broad and engaging curriculum while emphasizing the importance of reading, ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can thrive in their educational environment. Positive behavior, strong staff-pupil relationships, and an open atmosphere contribute to a nurturing school culture where pupils feel valued and supported.

Strengths

• Pupils display positive behavior and strong engagement in learning.
• The school has a broad and well-defined curriculum, with a strong emphasis on reading.
• Staff foster warm relationships with pupils, helping to create a supportive atmosphere.
• The school has effective strategies in place to identify and support pupils with SEND.
• High rates of attendance are maintained through proactive measures.

Areas for Improvement

• Some areas of the curriculum lack precisely defined content, limiting knowledge development.

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 Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.0% 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, 1.5% of pupils at Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth 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 Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth had 27.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.8% 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, 15.9% of pupils at Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.6% 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 Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth received £7,517 and spent £7,498 for each of its 195 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £106,000 (£542 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 Rochdale · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth last inspected by Ofsted?

Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth have?

Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth has 195 pupils on roll.

What age range does Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth cover?

Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth?

Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth is at Lime Grove, Off John Street, Whitworth, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 8DB.