St George's CofE Primary School

St George's CofE Primary School is a small, caring school that is currently performing at the expected standard overall. Inspectors found a positive, welcoming culture where pupils feel safe, behaviour is good and safeguarding arrangements are secure. Pupils typically achieve well and are prepared for their next stage, including those with SEND, although published outcomes have been variable in 2024 and 2025 because of small and changing cohorts. The school has responded quickly to weaker 2025 Year 4 multiplication results, and leaders have acted to close gaps in mathematical learning. The curriculum has been reviewed to fit mixed-age classes, and teaching is generally effective. Inclusion is a clear strength: leaders identify barriers early, work closely with families and external agencies, and provide well-considered support, including through the specially resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs. Early years provision is well organised and children settle quickly, though staff do not always make the most of opportunities in provision to extend learning. The main areas for further work are writing, especially grammar, spelling and handwriting, and helping pupils connect prior knowledge in subjects beyond English and mathematics. Some pupils still do not attend as regularly as they should, and pupils sometimes find it hard to link fundamental British values to life beyond school. Leadership has managed a period of considerable change well, with rapid improvement and strong trust support. Staff and parents are positive, and governors and trustees provide effective support and challenge. The school has high levels of disadvantage and SEND, plus a two-year-old provision and a SEND unit, so these are important contextual factors. Overall, this is a school fulfilling expected standards with clear next steps rather than urgent concerns.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and pupils who feel safe.
• Pupils typically achieve well and are prepared for their next stage of learning, including pupils with SEND.
• Pupils are polite, well-mannered and usually display positive attitudes to learning.
• Incidents of bullying or unkind behaviour are rare and dealt with swiftly and effectively.
• Leaders have developed an ambitious, broad curriculum suited to the school's mixed-age classes.
• Teaching is generally effective, with secure subject knowledge and appropriate support for pupils with barriers.
• Inclusion is at the forefront, with early identification of needs and strong multi-agency support.
• The specially resourced provision provides appropriate pathways for pupils with speech, language and communication needs.
• Early years children settle quickly, are well cared for and develop communication and language skills.
• Leaders have managed significant change well, securing rapid improvement with strong trust support.
• Staff are supportive of leaders and value professional development; parents are positive about the school.
• Governance and trust oversight are effective, including statutory safeguarding duties.
• Personal development is well designed, covering mental health, relationships, safety and wider opportunities.
• Attendance is prioritised and leaders work closely with families and agencies to reduce barriers.

Areas for Improvement

• Gaps in some pupils' writing skills, particularly grammar, spelling and handwriting, limit their achievement.
• In subjects beyond English and mathematics, pupils' prior knowledge is sometimes not secure enough to build new learning on.
• In some foundation subjects, staff checks do not consistently help pupils connect key knowledge with previous learning.
• Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should.
• Published Year 6 outcomes were variable across 2024 and 2025, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• The 2025 Year 4 multiplication check was below average, though leaders have acted to address gaps.
• Disadvantaged pupils' 2024/25 outcomes in writing and combined reading, writing and mathematics were below national averages.
• Early years staff occasionally miss opportunities in provision to model learning or extend children's understanding.
• Pupils sometimes struggle to connect fundamental British values to life beyond school.
• Leaders recognise further work is needed to embed consistency in writing and connected learning.

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 St George's CofE Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.6% 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 St George's CofE 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 St George's CofE Primary School had 13.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 42.9% 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, 20.0% of pupils at St George's CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 5 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 St George's CofE Primary School received £9,283 and spent £9,281 for each of its 122 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £18,000 (£149 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Forward As One Church of England Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,286 and spending £7,417 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

St George's CofE Primary School is part of Forward As One Church of England Multi Academy Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School Oldham
• St James' Church of England Primary School Ashton-Under-Lyne
• Parochial CofE Primary and Nursery School, Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-Under-Lyne
• Canon Johnson CofE Primary School Ashton-Under-Lyne
• St Chad's Church of England Primary School Oldham
• St Stephen's CofE Primary School Manchester
• St John's Church of England Primary School Manchester
• St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Rochdale
• Middleton Parish Church School Manchester
• St Paul's Church of England Primary School Bury

What is St George's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St George's CofE Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was St George's CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St George's CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St George's CofE Primary School have?

St George's CofE Primary School has 110 pupils on roll.

What age range does St George's CofE Primary School cover?

St George's CofE Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are St George's CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St George's CofE Primary School?

St George's CofE Primary School is at Stamford Street, Mossley, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL5 0HT.