Arlies Primary School

About Arlies Primary School

Arlies Primary School sits within Tameside local authority, where it ranks 46th out of 57 primary schools based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2. That places it in the bottom half of schools locally, though it's worth noting that Tameside has only one primary school rated Outstanding by Ofsted overall. The top-performing peers in the area are Broadbottom Church of England Primary School, St Raphael's Catholic Primary School and St John's CofE Primary School, Dukinfield, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. Arlies is a state-funded, mixed primary school for children aged 3 to 11, with no religious character. It has a nursery provision and is led by headteacher Lucy Hughes. The school is noticeably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 24 applications for 13 places, with all 13 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.85.

Academically, Arlies' most recent Key Stage 2 results from the 2023/24 academic year show that 50% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is 12 percentage points below the Tameside local authority average of 62%. Looking at individual subjects, reading performed strongest: 69% of pupils reached the expected standard and 12% achieved a higher standard, with an average score of 104. In maths, 58% reached the expected standard and 8% achieved a higher standard, with an average score of 100. Writing saw 58% at the expected standard and 8% at a higher standard. No pupils reached the higher standard across all three subjects. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in May 2023, confirmed that it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently since its previous graded inspection in March 2014. The leadership and management, as well as overall effectiveness, were both judged Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including playing fields, a sensory room, a library, music rooms, an outdoor playground, art studios, a forest school and a chapel. Sports provision covers tennis, swimming, football and cross country, and there are clubs such as book club, gardening and art club. For children with additional needs, Arlies provides support for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. With 36.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average deprivation. Its capacity is 266, but current pupil numbers sit at 195, meaning there is some spare capacity despite oversubscription at intake. This is a school that suits families who value a broad range of facilities and SEND support, and who are comfortable with results that sit below the local average.

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