Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School, Ashton-under-Lyne

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders relentlessly promote their high expectations for attendance with pupils, parents and carers."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders' recent actions have successfully strengthened staff's expectations of, and support for, children in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school carefully identifies and assesses the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "In recent years, the school has carefully restructured and strengthened its leadership."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from well-planned and carefully selected experiences that meet their needs and enhance their personal development."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils make uneven gains in their knowledge across the curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders have ensured that pupils benefit from carefully identified and well-ordered knowledge across most areas of the curriculum, including reading, writing and mathematics."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "In those subjects where the curriculum content is not set out, leaders should carefully identify and order the knowledge that pupils should learn so that they can build their knowledge securely over time"; "Leaders should ensure that staff use the information from their checks on learning to match activities to pupils' needs so that they can progress well through the curriculum"; "Leaders should ensure that the additional support that staff provide for pupils in lessons consistently and precisely helps pupils overcome the specific barriers to learning that they face".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our school, which opened in 1971, is a one-form entry Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School linked to St. James' Church in the Parish of the Good Shepherd and St. John The Evangelist Church - both in the Diocese of Manchester."

The school runs after-school care until 5:30pm.

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils at Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Tameside and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 66% in reading and 38% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 12 families put Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 41 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School are Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Ashton-under-Lyne (0.2 miles, Good, 71% reading, 71% maths); St James' Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles, 86% reading, 86% maths); The Heys Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 71% reading, 86% maths); and Oasis Academy Broadoak (0.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 68% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School.

57.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Ashton-under-Lyne Rail Station, about 750 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Curzon Road (near), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School issued 15 suspensions, 7.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School are Dixons Ashton Academy (0.7 miles), St Damian's RC Science College (1 mile) and West Hill School (1.1 miles).