Roundthorn Primary Academy

Roundthorn Primary Academy has shown good overall effectiveness in its first inspection since becoming an academy. The school demonstrates warm relationships and a strong focus on academic achievement and personal development, with notable strengths in preparing pupils for life as responsible citizens. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on developing language and reading skills across all grades, which contributes to the success of many pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in the consistency of phonics teaching and assessment practices in some subjects, which can leave gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils promote a positive learning environment.
• Many pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.
• Curriculum is well-designed and structured for effective learning progression.
• Exceptional personal development programs beyond the academic curriculum.
• Enthusiastic learners who actively engage in their learning.
• Effective leadership and management contribute to school improvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent delivery of the phonics programme affects some pupils' learning.
• Assessment practices do not always identify knowledge gaps in some subjects.

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 Roundthorn Primary Academy attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.0% 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, 0.4% of pupils at Roundthorn Primary Academy 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 Roundthorn Primary Academy had 21.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 8.6% of pupils at Roundthorn Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.3% 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 Roundthorn Primary Academy received £7,692 and spent £7,130 for each of its 235 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £128,000 (£547 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Focus Academy Trust (Uk) Ltd, income was £7,160 and spending £6,808 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 Oldham · Oldham local authority: places and applications

Roundthorn Primary Academy is part of Focus Academy Trust (Uk) Ltd, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Coppice Primary Academy Oldham
• Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School Oldham
• Freehold Community Academy Oldham
• Deeplish Primary Academy Rochdale
• Manor Green Primary Academy Manchester
• Old Trafford Community Academy Manchester
• Shibden Head Primary Academy Bradford
• Thornton Primary School Bradford
• Boothroyd Primary Academy Dewsbury
• Thornhill Junior and Infant School Dewsbury

What is Roundthorn Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Roundthorn Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in February 2024.

When was Roundthorn Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Roundthorn Primary Academy was last inspected in February 2024.

How many pupils does Roundthorn Primary Academy have?

Roundthorn Primary Academy has 245 pupils on roll.

What age range does Roundthorn Primary Academy cover?

Roundthorn Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Roundthorn Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Roundthorn Primary Academy?

Roundthorn Primary Academy is at Roundthorn Road, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL4 5LN.