Waterfoot Primary School

About Waterfoot Primary School

Waterfoot Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 90 applications for just 36 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.5, meaning nearly three families applied for every spot. Of those applications, 31 were first-preference choices, and the school made 31 first-preference offers, suggesting that almost every family who put it top got in. While the Department for Education doesn't publish a parent view percentage for this school, the high demand speaks for itself. The school is led by headteacher Kelly Devine and is a state primary for mixed genders, ages 5 to 11, with no religious character. It currently has 299 pupils on roll, just shy of its 315 capacity, and 19.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average.

Academically, Waterfoot is a solid performer but not among the highest-flying schools in Lancashire. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 52% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 60%. The school ranks 22nd out of 31 primary schools in Rossendale, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table. Breaking down the individual subjects, 76% met expectations in writing, 64% in maths, and 60% in reading. At the higher standard, 29% achieved it in reading, 14% in maths, and just 2% in writing. Average scores were 104 in reading and 102 in maths. Ofsted last inspected the school in December 2022 and confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently since at least 2012, when it was last graded.

The school offers a decent range of facilities, including an ICT suite, sports hall, art studios, a sensory room, and an outdoor playground, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers football, tennis, athletics and cricket, and there are clubs such as Eco Club, Chess, Book Club, Choir and Science Club. For families with children who have additional needs, Waterfoot has SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest outstanding-rated school is St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School in Newchurch, about a kilometre away, which may be worth a look for families who want a higher Ofsted grade. Waterfoot suits families who value a well-subscribed local school with good facilities and a broad range of clubs, and who are comfortable with slightly below-average academic outcomes compared with the wider Lancashire area.

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