Whittaker Moss Primary School

About Whittaker Moss Primary School

Whittaker Moss Primary School sits comfortably above the local average for its key stage 2 results, a clear standout in the Rochdale area. While the local authority average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths sits at 58%, Whittaker Moss achieves 76% — a full 18 percentage points higher. That places the school 5th out of 52 primary schools in Rochdale, putting it in the top 10% locally and the top 25% nationally. It’s a strong performance that suggests solid, consistent teaching across the core subjects. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Good. That’s a notable shift from its previous inspection in 2008, when it was rated Outstanding, but the current rating still reflects a school that is performing well above the typical local benchmark.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 exam results, the picture is one of broad strength with some particular highlights. In reading, 89% of pupils met the expected standard and 27% reached the higher standard, while in writing the figures were 85% and 9% respectively. Maths saw 82% at expected and 36% at the higher level, with an average scaled score of 106. The combined measure of pupils reaching the expected standard in all three subjects — 76% — is well above the national average and puts Whittaker Moss in the top 20% of schools nationally. The school’s ranking in the North West region is also strong, sitting at 348 out of 2,065 primary schools. While progress scores aren’t available in the data, the attainment figures alone suggest that most children leave Whittaker Moss well prepared for secondary school. The school is clearly delivering results that many local families would find appealing, especially when compared with the wider Rochdale picture.

Whittaker Moss is a popular school, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 166 applications for just 57 places, with 63 first-preference applications and 49 offers made to first-preference families. That oversubscription ratio of 2.91 means competition is real, so getting a place is far from guaranteed. The school has a nursery provision and caters for children from age 3 to 11. Facilities include a sensory room, music rooms, a gymnasium, ICT suite, forest school, dining hall and even a chapel. Sports on offer include football, netball, cricket and tennis, and there are clubs such as chess, film club and eco club. The school also provides for a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. With only 6.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals — below the national average — the school serves a relatively less disadvantaged intake. For families seeking a high-attaining, well-resourced primary in Rochdale, Whittaker Moss is a strong contender, though securing a place will require early planning.

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