Alexandra Park Junior School

About Alexandra Park Junior School

If you are a parent researching Alexandra Park Junior School, the first signal to consider is that the school is oversubscribed, with 358 pupils on roll against a capacity of 360. This suggests that despite its challenges, local families are actively choosing it. However, the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated the school as Requires Improvement overall, a rating it has held since its previous inspection in 2017. The report highlights a mixed picture: behaviour and attitudes, as well as personal development, were both judged Good, while leadership and management and the quality of education both require improvement. There is no Parent View data available in the school's record, so you would need to speak directly to other parents or visit to gauge satisfaction. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 7 to 11, located in the Oldham borough, and does not have a religious character.

Academically, the school faces an uphill battle. The most recent Key Stage 2 results are not provided in the data, but the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 58, which gives a benchmark for comparison. With 43.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, which can impact attainment. The Ofsted breakdown shows that the quality of education is rated Requires Improvement, meaning the curriculum and teaching need strengthening. The school's previous inspection in 2017 also rated overall effectiveness as Requires Improvement, so progress has been slow. For context, only four out of 86 primary schools in Oldham are rated Outstanding, and the nearest one, Glodwick Infant and Nursery School, is just 0.4 km away, which may be an alternative for parents prioritising top grades.

On the practical side, Alexandra Park Junior School offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, sensory room, forest school, art studios, and a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, swimming, cricket, gymnastics, tennis, and cross country, while clubs include science, chess, book club, drama, and gardening. The school has a strong SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, and physical disability. This makes it a potentially good fit for families whose children need additional support. The school is not a boarding school and has no sixth form or nursery. Given its Requires Improvement rating, it may suit parents who are willing to engage closely with the school's improvement journey and who value the Good behaviour and personal development ratings over top academic scores.

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