Holden Clough Primary School

Holden Clough Primary School demonstrates strong overall performance, with pupils achieving above national averages in reading, writing, and mathematics. The school's leadership demonstrates a commitment to academic excellence, with an enriched and ambitious curriculum that prepares students well for their future educational journeys. The focus on safeguarding and the emotional wellbeing of students contributes to a positive learning environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The strong attendance rates and positive behavior of students further indicate a thriving school community. However, the inspection highlighted the need for more opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills at greater depth and for improving students' resilience in managing conflicts independently. Despite these areas for development, the school is on a positive trajectory and is well-supported by effective governance from the Victorious Academy Trust, ensuring continued improvements in student outcomes.

Strengths

• Pupils progress well across the curriculum.
• High-quality work is produced by students, showcasing their pride in achievements.
• Strong emphasis on safeguarding ensures that pupils feel safe.
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum fosters deep knowledge and understanding.
• Pupils' attendance rates are improving and remain below the national average.
• Leaders provide excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Strong engagement with families helps to ensure successful early years education.
• Effective leadership is committed to continuous improvement and staff development.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum lacks sufficient opportunities for pupils to write at greater depth.
• Need to build pupils' resilience in managing conflicts independently.

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 Holden Clough Primary School attended 96.0% 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, 0.3% of pupils at Holden Clough 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 Holden Clough Primary School had 23.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.4% 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, 15.5% of pupils at Holden Clough Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% 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 Holden Clough Primary School received £6,671 and spent £6,544 for each of its 313 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £166,000 (£530 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Victorious Academies Trust, income was £6,986 and spending £6,999 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 Ashton-Under-Lyne · Tameside local authority: places and applications

Holden Clough Primary School is part of Victorious Academies Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Inspire Academy Tameside
• Lyndhurst Primary School Dukinfield
• Buckton Vale Primary School Stalybridge
• Wild Bank Primary School Stalybridge
• Yew Tree Primary School Dukinfield
• Aldwyn Primary School Manchester
• Poplar Street Primary School Manchester
• Greenside Primary School Manchester
• St Anne's Primary School Manchester
• Discovery Academy Hyde

What is Holden Clough Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holden Clough Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Holden Clough Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holden Clough Primary School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Holden Clough Primary School have?

Holden Clough Primary School has 297 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holden Clough Primary School cover?

Holden Clough Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holden Clough Primary School?

Holden Clough Primary School is at St Albans Avenue, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 8XN.