Medlock Valley Primary School

Medlock Valley Primary is performing well overall, with an overall effectiveness rating of good. This is the first inspection of the school under the Education Act 2005 since its establishment. The school, part of Kingfisher Learning Trust, demonstrates strong values and a supportive environment where students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive academically and socially. Pupils exhibit positive attitudes towards learning, and staff effectively support their development through a broad and balanced curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy and demonstrate positive relationships with staff and peers.
• The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, enabling pupils to achieve well.
• Reading is prioritized, with effective support in place for those who struggle.
• Strong systems are in place for identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.
• The school promotes a range of enrichment activities that cater to pupils' interests.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subject curriculums are relatively new, leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge.
• A minority of pupils do not read regularly enough to support their progress.

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 Medlock Valley Primary School attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.3% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Medlock Valley 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 Medlock Valley Primary School had 23.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.5% 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, 19.3% of pupils at Medlock Valley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 12 pupils.

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 Medlock Valley Primary School received £8,390 and spent £8,181 for each of its 312 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £312,000 (£998 per pupil).

Across all 7 schools of Kingfisher Learning Trust, income was £14,454 and spending £14,223 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

Medlock Valley Primary School is part of Kingfisher Learning Trust, which runs 7 schools. The nearest others:

• Littlemoor Primary School Oldham
• Kingfisher Special School Oldham
• Halcyon Way School Oldham Ol9 9Qe
• Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery School Oldham
• Oakdale School Dukinfield
• Cromwell High School Dukinfield

What is Medlock Valley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Medlock Valley Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Medlock Valley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Medlock Valley Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Medlock Valley Primary School have?

Medlock Valley Primary School has 337 pupils on roll.

What age range does Medlock Valley Primary School cover?

Medlock Valley Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Medlock Valley Primary School?

Medlock Valley Primary School is at Deanshut Road, Fitton Hill, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL8 2PN.