Helmshore Primary School

About Helmshore Primary School

Helmshore Primary School sits in the Lancashire local authority, in the Rossendale borough, and it’s the top-ranked primary in that borough out of 31 schools, according to its KS2 expected standard scores. That puts it ahead of every other primary in Rossendale, and it also performs strongly regionally, ranking 92nd out of 2,065 primaries in the North West. Nationally, it sits in the top 5% of all primaries. Its closest peers in the wider Lancashire area, based on ranking scores, include Crawford Village Primary School, New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School, and St George’s Church of England Primary School in Chorley. The school is a mixed, state primary for children aged 5 to 11, with no religious character, and is led by headteacher Christine Myers. It’s not a boarding school, has no sixth form, and doesn’t offer nursery provision.

Academically, Helmshore performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 KS2 results, 86% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to a Lancashire average of 60%. The school also excels at the higher standard: 14% of pupils achieved that across all three subjects, with 53% reaching it in maths, 44% in reading, and 28% in writing. Average scaled scores were 109 in both reading and maths. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes. Leadership and management, and quality of education, were both rated Good. This is a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2012, but the inspection found strong performance in key areas.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 134 applications for 60 places, with 61 first-preference applications and 59 offers made to first-preference families. That’s an oversubscription ratio of 2.23. Facilities include music rooms, a library, playing fields, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports on offer are netball, swimming, football, and tennis, and clubs include drama, book club, eco club, and choir. The school supports a range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. For families who prioritise strong academic outcomes and a well-supported environment, Helmshore is a clear standout in Rossendale, though the nearest Outstanding-rated primary is St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Haslingden, 1.9 km away.

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