Highlees Primary School

Highlees Primary School continues to uphold a good standard of education, as confirmed in this recent inspection. The pupils thrive in a supportive environment where they feel proud to be part of the school community. The curriculum has been thoughtfully developed to raise aspirations and includes engaging learning strategies, helping students connect their learning with real-life applications. However, there are identified gaps in certain areas of the curriculum that need addressing to ensure all pupils achieve to their full potential. In terms of strengths, the school's emphasis on social, emotional, and academic well-being is notable, with a supportive approach to special educational needs. Although most parents express satisfaction, there remains a call for greater opportunities for pupils to engage with the wider community and enhance their cultural experiences. Overall, while the school demonstrates many positive qualities, ongoing efforts to refine assessment methods and increase enrichment activities are essential.

Strengths

• Pupils are proud to be part of the school and have caring relationships.
• The school has redesigned the curriculum to raise ambitions.
• Teachers effectively support pupils with special educational needs.
• Pupils engage well in extracurricular activities.
• Staff are proud to work at the school and receive ample training opportunities.
• The school prioritizes pupils' social and emotional welfare.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers need better information to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge.
• Opportunities for broader cultural enrichment experiences are lacking.

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 Highlees Primary School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.0% 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, 1.9% of pupils at Highlees 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 Highlees Primary School had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.7% 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, 16.5% of pupils at Highlees 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 2024–25 Highlees Primary School received £7,460 and spent £7,311 for each of its 369 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £190,000 (£515 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust, income was £7,171 and spending £7,108 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Peterborough · Peterborough local authority: places and applications

Highlees Primary School is part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust, which runs 37 schools. The nearest others:

• Eyrescroft Primary School Peterborough
• Ramsey Junior School Huntingdon
• Ramsey Spinning Infant School Huntingdon
• Westwood Primary School March
• Cavalry Primary School March
• Elm Road Primary School Wisbech
• The Nene Infant & Nursery School Wisbech
• Ramnoth Junior School Wisbech
• Millfield Primary School Ely
• The Shirestone Academy Birmingham

What is Highlees Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Highlees Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was Highlees Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Highlees Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does Highlees Primary School have?

Highlees Primary School has 351 pupils on roll.

What age range does Highlees Primary School cover?

Highlees Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Highlees Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Highlees Primary School?

Highlees Primary School is at Ashton Road, Westwood, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE3 7ER.