Rushcroft Primary School, Oldham
Rushcroft Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Oldham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 68 schools in Oldham with published results, and 474th of 14,452 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Oldham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Rushcroft Primary School in detail
Rushcroft Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, multi-sports, dance and choir.
The school runs after-school care, from £4.50 per session.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at Rushcroft Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 74% in Oldham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 80% in reading and 84% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Rushcroft Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Rushcroft Primary School as their first choice and 52 named it as one of their preferences, for 22 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Rushcroft Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Rushcroft Primary School are Beal Vale Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 72% reading, 72% maths); East Crompton St James CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 66% reading, 72% maths); Buckstones Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 97% maths); and St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton (0.6 miles, Good, 93% reading, 83% maths).
Rushcroft Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Beal Vale Primary SchoolEast Crompton St James CofE Primary SchoolBuckstones Primary SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton
Who goes there
34.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 4.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Asian (10%).
In 2026, 41 pupils (25%) received SEN support and 7 (4.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Shaw and Crompton (Manchester Metrolink), about 1110 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trent Road (se-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Rushcroft Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Rushcroft Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Rushcroft Primary School are The Crompton House Church of England Academy (0.6 miles) and Hollingworth Academy (1.6 miles).
The Crompton House Church of England AcademyHollingworth Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from November 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Rushcroft is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive in a calm learning environment. Staff develop strong relationships with pupils and provide excellent phonics teaching so children learn to read confidently. The school offers a rich curriculum with many enrichment opportunities that bring learning to life and help prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.
Key Strengths
- Excellent reading programme with well-trained staff using phonics effectively - many pupils read confidently and fluently
- Ambitious, well-ordered curriculum across all subjects, including strong support for pupils with SEND
- Strong behaviour and positive relationships - lessons are calm, focused and free from disruption
- Extensive personal development curriculum with many leadership opportunities and enrichment activities
- Effective safeguarding with a strong safety culture and prompt reporting of concerns
Areas for Improvement
- In a small number of subjects, assessment is not used carefully enough to check that pupils have remembered previous learning
- Teachers cannot always ensure that new learning builds on firm foundations in these subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - leaders have created a strong safety culture with well-trained staff who know their pupils and families, report concerns promptly, and work with outside agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Homework club, multi-sport club, netball club, school band, music lessons, trip to France, trip to Jodrell Bank
Rushcroft Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils enjoy learning and arrive happy and ready for their day. Leaders have high expectations for achievement and behaviour, and pupils feel safe and supported.
At a Glance
34.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 80% to 97% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 84% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.3
Avg class size
27.8
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Rushcroft Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Rushcroft Primary School.
- Squirrels @ Buckstones970m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rushcroft Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rushcroft Primary School is in Oldham; for families living there:
Apply to Oldham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Rushcroft Primary School
Will you get a place at Rushcroft Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Rushcroft Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Rushcroft Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Rushcroft Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Oldham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Rushcroft Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Oldham got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
81%
Available places
170 pupils
210 places
40 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Oldham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldham
Across Oldham council
Places available
3,927
Applications
2,814
Got 1st preference
92.0%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Oldham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
29.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
164
Total Pupils
83
Boys
81
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
20.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,266
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,980
Per pupil
£1112k
Total funding
£76k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
13.7%
Persistent absence
153
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Rushcroft Primary School
Questions parents ask about Rushcroft Primary School
What are SATs results like at Rushcroft Primary School?
Of the pupils at Rushcroft Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Rushcroft Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Rushcroft Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Rushcroft Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Rushcroft Primary School is oversubscribed, Oldham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Rushcroft Primary School?
Rushcroft Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 81% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Rushcroft Primary School?
Classes at Rushcroft Primary School average 27.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Rushcroft Primary School?
Rushcroft Primary School has around 164 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Rushcroft Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Rushcroft Primary School in 2024/25. 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rushcroft Primary School?
Apply through Oldham's coordinated admissions process, naming Rushcroft Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Rushcroft Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Rushcroft Primary School: Squirrels @ Buckstones (970m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Rushcroft Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rushcroft Primary School?
Rushcroft Primary School is at Trent Road, Shaw, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL2 7YL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)