Moorhouse Academy

About Moorhouse Academy

Moorhouse Academy, a state primary in Rochdale, sits in a challenging position when compared against the local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes. The school’s percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined stands at 48%, a full ten percentage points below the Rochdale LA average of 58%. This places the school in the bottom half of all primary schools in the borough, ranked 41st out of 69. However, this headline figure doesn’t tell the whole story. The school serves a community with a high level of disadvantage — 48% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, more than double the national average — and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 judged the school to be Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Inadequate rating. The turnaround in leadership and management, which moved from Requires Improvement to Good, suggests a school that is stabilising and heading in the right direction, even if academic results have yet to catch up.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the picture is mixed but shows some bright spots. In writing, 76% of pupils met the expected standard, and 15% reached the higher standard — both figures that would be respectable in any context. Reading saw 67% at expected and 7% at higher, while maths was weaker, with 61% at expected and 13% at higher. No pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. Average scaled scores were 102 in reading and 100 in maths, both in line with national averages. The school’s Ofsted breakdown from October 2023 gives a Good rating across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all of which were previously weaker. This consistency across the board is a strong indicator that the school’s systems are now functioning well, even if the exam data hasn’t yet reflected the full impact of the improvements.

Moorhouse Academy is a relatively small school, with 207 pupils against a capacity of 240, and it offers a nursery provision for children from age three. The school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, with 42 applications for 27 places and 23 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.56. Facilities include a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, library, sensory room and a chapel, and the school runs a wide range of clubs from eco club and coding to gardening and film club. Its SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. For families who value a school that has demonstrably turned itself around under strong leadership, and that offers solid pastoral and SEND support in a diverse, high-needs community, Moorhouse Academy is a credible choice — though those prioritising top-tier academic results may want to look at higher-performing peers in the borough.

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