Highlees Primary School

About Highlees Primary School

Highlees Primary School sits within the Peterborough local authority, a mixed state primary for children aged 4 to 11. In the most recent local rankings, it placed 44th out of 60 primary schools of the same type in the area, placing it in the bottom half of the LA table. The top-performing peers nearby include Barnack CofE (Controlled) Primary School, Winyates Primary School (Spirit Federation), and St John's Church School (Spirit Federation), all of which scored significantly higher on the same ranking metric. The school is also 1.7 km from Fulbridge Academy, the nearest Outstanding-rated primary in Peterborough. With a capacity of 420 and 369 pupils on roll, Highlees is not at full capacity, but it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 61 applications for 38 places and making 37 first-preference offers. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.61, suggesting steady local demand despite its middling ranking.

Academically, the school's most recent KS2 results for 2023/24 show that 44% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is well below the Peterborough LA average of 59% and places Highlees in the bottom 50 nationally by this metric. Individual subject scores are mixed: 65% met the expected standard in writing, 58% in reading, and 49% in maths. At the higher standard, just 14% achieved it in reading, 7% in maths, and none in writing. Average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 100 in maths. Ofsted last inspected the school in June 2024 and confirmed it remains Good overall, a rating it has held since at least 2015. The inspection breakdown rated leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all as Good.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a library, music rooms, playing fields, a forest school, a gymnasium, a sports hall, and a chapel. Sports provision covers dance, gymnastics, swimming and athletics, while clubs include drama, choir, chess, coding, film club and art club. SEND support is in place for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, social, emotional and mental health needs, and other difficulties. With 47.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, Highlees serves a relatively disadvantaged catchment. It does not have a nursery or sixth form. This is a school that suits families who value a Good-rated local option with a strong range of extracurriculars and SEND support, but who are aware that its academic outcomes sit below the LA average.

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