High Oakham Primary School

About High Oakham Primary School

High Oakham Primary School is a state-funded, mixed primary in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and it is clearly a popular choice among local families. The school has a capacity of 428 pupils but currently houses 464, meaning it is operating above its official limit. This oversubscription is backed up by the admissions data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 189 applications for just 60 places, with 65 families listing it as their first preference. That works out at over three applicants for every available spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 9%, which is notably lower than the national average for primary schools, suggesting the intake draws from a relatively less disadvantaged demographic than many schools nationally. With a nursery provision on site, the school caters for children from age three right through to eleven, and its non-religious character means it serves a broad cross-section of the local community.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. This marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2011, when it was rated Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 57% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is slightly below the Nottinghamshire local authority average of 61%. However, the school performs better in individual subjects: 78% reached the expected standard in reading, and 73% in writing, while maths lagged a little at 65%. At the higher standard, just 3% of pupils achieved the top marks across all three subjects. Average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 102 in maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom 50% of primaries on its combined expected standard measure, sitting at the 63rd percentile.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a library, art studios, a dining hall and a forest school area, alongside outdoor playgrounds. Sports provision covers dance, netball, swimming and gymnastics, and there is a decent selection of clubs such as science club, book club, choir, film club and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its oversubscribed status, families applying here will need to be realistic about the chances of securing a place, particularly if they are not in the immediate catchment area. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, popular primary with improving Ofsted grades and a broad extracurricular offer, rather than one chasing top-tier academic results.

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