Whittaker Moss Primary School
Highwood, Whittaker Moss Primary School, Rochdale, OL11 5XPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Whittaker Moss Primary School is a primary school in Rochdale for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 105 schools in Rochdale. It ranks 1st of 32 primary schools in Rochdale. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 November 2023, report published 17 December 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 November 2023
This is a school where pupils are highly valued and celebrated as individuals. Everyone is accepted regardless of any differences that they may have. Caring and supportive staff help pupils, and children in the early years, to settle quickly and develop as confident, happy members of the school community. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning and the majority achieve well. Around school, pupils make good behaviour choices. Pupils said that they form close friendships throughout the school. Children in the early years play and learn harmoniously together, for example sharing resources and assigning roles when putting on a puppet show. Pupils are proud of their school. They show superb manners, acting politely and kindly towards others, including visitors. The school provides a broad range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests through extra-curricular clubs, such as rugby and coding. Some pupils recently had the experience of playing water polo. The school encourages pupils to be proactive citizens through activities about positive social behaviours. Year 6 pupils are encouraged to act as responsible role models, having achieved the status of wearing a recognisable black jumper.
What the school should improve
- There is variation in how members of staff deliver the phonics curriculum. This means that a small number of pupils do not learn the phonics code as quickly or as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the necessary skills to support pupils effectively in their phonics learning.
- In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified the specific knowledge that pupils will be taught to help them with later learning. This means that teachers are unclear on what they need to deliver in some subjects. As a result, a small number of pupils are not able to build their knowledge securely. The school should make sure that it completes its curriculum thinking so that teachers know what to teach and pupils learn all that they should.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
57 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
443 pupils on roll, with places for 436
Schools near Whittaker Moss Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norden Primary Academy | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| St Vincent De Paul Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Not published |
| Caldershaw Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Not published |
| Bamford Academy | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 50% met the expected standard |
| St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Bamford | 1 mile | Ofsted: Outstanding | 76% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Melanie Backhouse
- Phone
- 01706342342
- Address
- Highwood, Whittaker Moss Primary School, Rochdale, OL11 5XP
- Local authority
- Rochdale
- URN
- 105781
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.