Hopwood Community Primary School
100%
Capacity
419
Pupils
2.9x
Demand
About Hopwood Community Primary School
Hopwood Community Primary School in Rochdale is a state primary for children aged 4 to 11 that is effectively full, with 419 pupils against a capacity of 420. The school serves a community where 20% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average for primary schools and reflects a significant level of disadvantage in its intake. Demand is exceptionally high: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 173 applications for just 60 places, with 70 families listing it as their first preference. Only 57 first-preference offers were made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.88 applicants per place. This level of competition signals that Hopwood is a sought-after choice among Rochdale families, and securing a place is far from guaranteed.
Academically, Hopwood is one of the strongest primaries in Rochdale. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the local authority average of 58%. The school ranks 8th out of 52 primaries in Rochdale, placing it in the top 25% nationally. Reading and maths scores are notably high, with average scaled scores of 108 and 107 respectively, and 92% of pupils met the expected standard in reading. At the higher standard, 22% achieved in all three subjects. Ofsted inspected the school in January 2024 and rated it Outstanding across every category, including early years provision, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership. This is a repeat of the Outstanding grade it received in its previous inspection in 2008, confirming sustained excellence over time.
The school offers a strong range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, music rooms, art studios and an outdoor playground. Sports provision includes gymnastics, tennis, swimming and cross country, while clubs cover book club, drama, coding, art and science. SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families in Rochdale who can secure a place, Hopwood combines outstanding Ofsted grades with above-average academic outcomes and a broad enrichment offer. It is one of only seven Outstanding primaries in the local authority, and the nearest other Outstanding school is All Souls Church of England Primary School, 1.6 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Magdala Street, Heywood, Rochdale, OL10 2HN |
| Headteacher | Sarah Harland |
| Local Authority | Rochdale |
| Number of Pupils | 419 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.0% |
| School Capacity | 419 / 420 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
30 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (75%)
2874th of 13,686
Nationally
405th of 2,065
In North West
8th of 52
In Rochdale
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
75%
Expected Standard
22%
Higher Standard
'22/23
75%
'23/24
75%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed60
173
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
70 families put this school as their 1st choice (40% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:30
After-school care
15:15-18:00
Source: hopwoodcommunityprimary.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.2%
- Mixed4.7%
- Asian4.6%
- White (other)1.9%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hopwood Community Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Magdala Street, Heywood
Rochdale, OL10 2HN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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