Highfield Farm Primary School, Rotherham

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Highfield Farm Primary School on 6 areas: 2 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has a deeply inclusive culture where every pupil is welcomed and feels that they belong."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has established a well-sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' achievement is not strong enough."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Pupils' attendance rates at the school are low."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The teaching of the curriculum is variable across classes and subjects."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "The school has not ensured that pupils' education is of a consistently high quality across the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the knowledge, skills and expertise necessary to secure the foundations of writing and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively"; "Leaders should further develop the consistency of teaching by ensuring that tasks are closely aligned to curriculum aims and pupils' prior knowledge so that they secure new learning more effectively"; "Leaders should continue to embed strategies to improve achievement by ensuring that historic gaps in knowledge are identified and closed quickly, particularly for younger pupils in the foundations of writing and mathematics"; "Leaders should ensure that there are consistently high expectations of pupils' attitudes to learning".

In its own words: "Highfield Farm is a small, nurturing school nestled in a quiet, residential area of West Melton, in South Yorkshire. We are a family orientated school with a with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and community approach to school life. Our school is child centred, inclusive and distinctive, delivering excellence in education, sharing best practice and building aspiration."

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Highfield Farm Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 58% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 72% in Rotherham and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 53% in reading and 41% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 7 families put Highfield Farm Primary School as their first choice and 17 named it as one of their preferences, for 7 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Highfield Farm Primary School are Brampton Ellis CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 73% reading, 71% maths); Wath Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); Our Lady and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 72% reading, 79% maths); and Wath Central Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 73% reading, 65% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Highfield Farm Primary School.

Highfield Farm Primary School is one of 20 schools run by James Montgomery Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 53% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

60.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 26 pupils (34.2%) received SEN support and 8 (10.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

The nearest railway station is Bolton-Upon-Dearne Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Melton High Street/Oak Lea Avenue (adjacent), 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Highfield Farm Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Highfield Farm Primary School issued 1 suspension, 1.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Highfield Farm Primary School are Wath Academy (1 mile) and Saint Pius X Catholic High School A Specialist School in Humanities (1.3 miles).