Old Moat Primary School

In 2024-25, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at KS2, compared with 60% in England. The figure was 65% in 2022-23 and 62% in 2023-24, so results have been fairly steady. At the higher standard, 5% of pupils reached it against 8% nationally. Absence data is not published here.

What Ofsted found

Ofsted inspected the school on 16 and 17 July 2024 and judged it Outstanding overall and in every area, including early years. This was a graded inspection carried out just before Ofsted stopped giving overall grades. The previous grade was Good.

Inspectors say pupils "flourish at this school" and describe a carefully planned curriculum developed with the trust. They note that pupils with SEND "blossom" with expert support, including the Beehive for younger children and the Hive for some older pupils. Many pupils join mid-year and inspectors found they "quickly feel part of" the community. The report notes 29 home languages and a breakfast club. It does not list specific areas to improve, though it says current pupils' writing is stronger than the previous year's published data suggested.

The school's website says it offers singing lessons with professional singers and steel pans through partner organisations, and describes a specialist provision called Woodland. These are the school's own descriptions.

How it compares nearby

Several nearby primaries recorded higher KS2 results: St Cuthbert's RC Primary School (0.7 mi) at 79%, West Didsbury CE Primary School (0.6 mi) at 73%, and St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.4 mi) and St Kentigern's RC Primary School (0.5 mi) at 71%. Wilbraham Primary School (0.8 mi) recorded 56%. No KS2 figure is shown for Cavendish Primary School (0.5 mi), and Ofsted grades are not listed for these schools. Old Moat's intake, with high levels of EAL and disadvantage, is worth keeping in mind when reading these figures.

Who it may suit

Old Moat may suit families who value a diverse, inclusive school, particularly those whose children are learning English or have special educational needs. It also has a nursery, and has spare places.

Families focused mainly on test results may want to compare it closely with the higher-scoring schools nearby and ask how the most able pupils are stretched. As the report dates from July 2024, it is worth asking what has changed since.

May suit: Families in Withington wanting an inclusive, diverse primary with a nursery, strong support for pupils learning English and a specialist SEND base.

Drafted with the help of AI tools from our research notes and the sources above, then checked and edited by EduNavigate Research Team before publishing.