Healey Foundation Primary School

About Healey Foundation Primary School

Healey Foundation Primary School is a state primary in Rochdale, a local authority where only seven of 69 same-type schools hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. Healey Foundation itself is rated Good, and it ranks third out of 52 primary schools in the borough on the key stage 2 expected standard measure. The three schools above it in the local rankings are All Souls Church of England Primary School, Hollin Primary School, and Crossgates Primary School. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Kentmere Primary Academy, 1.5 kilometres away. Healey Foundation is a mixed, non-religious school for children aged 4 to 11, with headteacher Matthew Hopkins. It is a small school, with 208 pupils against a capacity of 210, and 24.5 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The school has no nursery or sixth form provision.

In its most recent graded inspection, in 2015, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness. An ungraded inspection in January 2025 confirmed that standards were maintained. Academic outcomes are strong. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 tests, 80 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the Rochdale local authority average of 58 per cent. Average scores were 107 in reading and 108 in maths. At the higher standard, 7 per cent achieved the combined measure, with 37 per cent hitting the higher standard in maths. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the school’s national ranking places it in the top 25 per cent of primary schools nationally, and in the top 10 per cent in the North West region.

The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 80 applications for 30 places, with 39 first-preference applications and 30 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.67. Facilities include a library, music rooms, art studios, a sensory room, a forest school, and a sports hall. Sports offered include cross country, dance, athletics, netball, football, cricket, and gymnastics. Clubs include gardening, coding, choir, and art club. The school has SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties (dyslexia), moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. Parent View responses from 40 parents between September 2024 and September 2025 were overwhelmingly positive: 95 per cent would recommend the school, and 100 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded, community-focused primary with strong academic results and a clear local reputation.

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