Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy is a welcoming, caring primary school that inspectors found to be performing well across all areas of its provision. Pupils benefit from warm relationships, clear behavioural expectations and effective support for their well-being, and they typically achieve well. The early years provision is a notable strength, with children making a strong start through a well-considered curriculum and caring relationships that build independence and confidence. Reading is promoted widely, phonics is taught effectively, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified and supported well. The curriculum is ambitious and logically sequenced, and staff generally present content clearly and check pupils’ understanding. However, in some subjects, strategies to help pupils remember and articulate what they have learned are not used consistently, which sometimes leaves pupils struggling to recall key knowledge or use appropriate vocabulary. Personal development is broad overall, but the school does not promote pupils’ understanding of diversity and life in modern Britain, including fundamental British values, as well as it could. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first since the current headteacher took up the substantive post in September 2024. The school is part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust, and trustees were found to understand and fulfil their statutory responsibilities. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, staff feel well supported, and parents say they would recommend the school.

Strengths

• Warm, caring and welcoming environment that nurtures pupils’ well-being
• Strong early years provision that prepares children well for the next stage
• Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum matched to the national curriculum
• Clear modelling and strong staff subject knowledge in lessons
• Effective phonics teaching and good support for pupils who struggle with reading
• High expectations and effective support for pupils with SEND
• Respectful behaviour and positive relationships across the school
• Pupils take on leadership and peer-support roles, including well-being initiatives
• Broad personal development offer with clubs, visits and charitable fundraising
• Collegiate and supportive staff culture with attention to workload and well-being
• Trustees understand and fulfil their statutory responsibilities
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, strategies for helping pupils remember and articulate learning are inconsistent, so pupils sometimes struggle to recall knowledge or use suitable vocabulary
• Pupils’ understanding of diversity, life in modern Britain and fundamental British values is not promoted as well as it could be

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 Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.9% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Worksop Priory Church of England 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 Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy had 23.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.3% 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, 23.4% of pupils at Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.3% 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 Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy received £7,477 and spent £7,358 for each of its 226 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £137,000 (£606 per pupil).

Across all 23 schools of Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,940 and spending £8,035 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 Worksop · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy is part of Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 24 schools. The nearest others:

• Haggonfields Primary and Nursery School Worksop
• St John's CofE Academy Worksop
• St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Edwinstowe Mansfield
• St Swithun's Church of England Primary Academy Retford
• Gamston St Peter's CofE Primary School Retford
• Harworth Church of England Academy Doncaster
• Sherwood Church Academy Mansfield
• Kneesall CofE Primary Academy Select
• St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Mansfield Mansfield
• Leverton Church of England Academy Retford

What is Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy have?

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy has 235 pupils on roll.

What age range does Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy cover?

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy?

Worksop Priory Church of England Primary Academy is at Holles Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 2LJ.