Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary School

About Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary School

Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in Bury, operating at near-full capacity with 113 pupils against a school capacity of 118. Its intake is notably less disadvantaged than the national picture: just 3.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with a typical primary average of around 23% nationally. The school is clearly in demand. For 2025/26 admissions, it received 31 applications for 15 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.07, and all 15 first-preference offers were taken up from 16 first-preference applications. That level of competition suggests local families see it as a strong option. As a Church of England school, it has a religious character, though the data doesn't specify any particular admissions criteria beyond the standard primary process. The school also offers nursery provision, so children can join from age three.

Academically, this school performs exceptionally well. In its most recent KS2 results, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, far above the Bury local authority average of 64%. That places Emmanuel Holcombe first out of 46 primary schools in the borough, and in the top 1% nationally. Results at the higher standard are also strong: 40% of pupils achieved a higher score in reading, 27% in writing, and 20% in maths. Average scaled scores were 108 in reading and 106 in maths, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. Ofsted visited in March 2024 and rated the school Good overall, with an Outstanding mark for personal development. The previous inspection in 2017 also rated it Good, so the school has maintained a consistent standard over time.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including playing fields, a sports hall, an outdoor playground, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cross country, gymnastics, cricket and swimming, while clubs include choir, coding, gardening and film club. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional challenges, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. This combination of strong academic outcomes, a small and oversubscribed intake, and targeted SEND support makes Emmanuel Holcombe a good fit for families who value high attainment in a church school setting, particularly those whose children might benefit from a sensory room or specialist learning support. The nursery provision also suits families looking for continuity from early years through to Year 6.

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