Great Harwood Primary School

About Great Harwood Primary School

Great Harwood Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained consistently across its two most recent inspections, the latest of which took place in 2023. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard score of 56 per cent. This places it just below the Lancashire local authority average of 60 per cent for the same measure. Within the Hyndburn local authority, the school ranks 15th out of 31 primary schools, putting it in the bottom half of its immediate area. Nationally, it sits in the 67th percentile, meaning roughly a third of primary schools across England outperform it on this combined measure. The school’s individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 74 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in maths, and 67 per cent did so in reading, while writing lagged slightly at 63 per cent. Higher-attaining pupils are relatively few, with 22 per cent reaching the higher standard in maths and 26 per cent in reading, and none achieving it in the combined measure.

The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. However, the raw attainment figures suggest a school where most children leave with the basics securely in place, particularly in maths and reading, but where stretching the most able remains a challenge. The Ofsted inspection report, published in November 2023, awarded Good across all five graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This consistency is reassuring for parents. The school has a nursery provision, taking children from age three, and serves a community where 43.4 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, which gives context to the attainment figures.

Great Harwood Primary School is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 56 applications for 26 places, with 22 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 2.15 suggests strong local demand. The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, art studios, a library, playing fields and a chapel. Sports provision covers athletics, cross country, football, cricket, netball, rounders and tennis, and there are clubs such as eco club, coding, chess and book club. The school’s SEND provisions support pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, and other disabilities. This is a school that suits families in the Hyndburn area who want a solid, Good-rated primary with nursery provision, a broad extracurricular offer, and a clear focus on core academic subjects, though those seeking a higher proportion of pupils reaching the top standards may want to look at the stronger-performing schools in the local authority.

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