St Matthew's CofE Primary School

About St Matthew's CofE Primary School

St Matthew's CofE Primary School sits within the Oldham local authority, one of 86 primary schools in the area. It is a Church of England state school for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, led by headteacher Simon Buxton-Moore. In the local landscape, it is not among the very highest-ranked peers; the top three in the authority are Christ Church CofE Primary School, St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School, and St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School. Only four schools in Oldham hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, and the nearest one to St Matthew's is Westwood Academy, 2.2 kilometres away. The school itself was rated Good in its most recent graded inspection in 2018, and an ungraded inspection in October 2023 confirmed that it remains Good. That marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2017, when it was rated Requires Improvement overall.

Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted breakdown shows that both leadership and management and early years provision were judged Good. The quality of education, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes were not separately graded in the latest report, but the overall effectiveness remains solid. The local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment is 58, which provides a useful benchmark for parents comparing outcomes. While St Matthew's does not have a published Progress 8 score or specific SATs results in this data, its Good rating across two consecutive inspections suggests consistent standards. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, and there is no nursery provision on site. For families prioritising academic progress, the school's trajectory from Requires Improvement to Good is a positive sign, though it does not yet match the performance of the top three peers in the authority.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, library, playing fields, art studios, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, swimming, rounders, cross country, dance, and cricket, while extracurricular clubs include film club, choir, drama, and coding. With a capacity of 420, the school is likely to be popular among local families, though oversubscription data is not provided. Its Church of England character may appeal to families seeking a faith-based environment, but the school is open to all. The combination of a Good Ofsted rating, improved leadership, and a broad set of activities makes it a practical choice for families in Oldham who want a stable, well-equipped primary with a clear moral framework, without the pressure of an Outstanding label.

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