Highbank Primary and Nursery School

About Highbank Primary and Nursery School

Highbank Primary and Nursery School in Nottingham was rated Good overall in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, and an ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling exam metric for this 262-pupil primary is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, which stood at 44% in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure is notably below the Nottingham local authority average of 60%, placing the school 67th out of 72 primaries in the area. The school’s ranking score of 44 puts it in the bottom half of schools nationally, at the 87th percentile. However, the Ofsted report notes that leadership and management, as well as early years provision, are both Good, and the school has improved from a Requires Improvement rating in its 2015 inspection.

Looking deeper at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, individual subject scores tell a slightly more nuanced story. The average scaled scores in both reading and maths were 101, which is exactly the national baseline. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in maths was 64%, and in reading and writing it was 58% each. At the higher standard, the figures are low: 9% in reading, 7% in maths, 4% in writing and just 2% across all three subjects combined. The school has no published progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to see how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points. With 45.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, which provides important context for these outcomes.

Highbank offers a range of facilities including an art studio, ICT suite, forest school, sports hall and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, swimming, cross country and gymnastics, and there are clubs for chess, coding, choir and art. The school has a nursery provision for children from age three. It is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, with 46 applications for 25 places and all 25 first-preference applicants receiving an offer. The school has a strong SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that may suit families who value a broad range of enrichment activities and strong SEND support, and who are comfortable with academic results that sit below the local average.

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