School Chooser

Highbank Primary and Nursery School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy250 pupilsNurseryNottingham
School Chooser Score
34
Below
similar schools
Likely range 18 to 58, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, February 2023
Reached the expected level at 1173%England 63%
Attendance93.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families45%Far more than most schools
Places127 spare250 pupils, 377 places
Pupils per teacher24.8School workforce census

Highbank Primary and Nursery School is a sponsored academy in Nottingham for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 250 pupils and room for 377. About 45 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 34 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Winscombe Mount, Clifton Estate, Nottingham, NG11 9FP0115 915 2965highbankpriandnursery.co.ukMs Sophie Wan headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 22 February 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1173%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 35%35%20172018: 37%37%20182019: 48%48%20192023: 76%76%20232024: 44%44%20242025: 73%73%2025
Since 2017: +38%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017NottinghamEngland
Pupils tested304538403826
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths73%44%76%48%37%35%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%2%16%5%0%4%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0101.0104.0100.099.099.0104.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0101.0106.0100.099.0102.0104.1104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0100.0107.0101.0100.0104.0104.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard77%58%79%58%47%42%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard77%64%84%68%45%81%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)83%58%79%75%66%73%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.1+0.2-4.3-0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.4+0.2-3.6+1.6
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged67%44%71%38%16%0%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged80%46%81%58%58%50%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
67%80%
Gap 13 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
69%76%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%3%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places234 pupils for 330 places, 2024/25
71% full

96 places were empty (29% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Nottingham council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll250Census January 2026
Places37766% full
Pupils from low-income families41%45% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%28 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size18.33 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)43%£148,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls125 / 125
White British pupils66%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (15), emotional and mental health (14), language and communications needs (4), Physical disability (2), Specific learning difficulty (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll250262284301303294
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals41%43%44%41%38%37%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%16%15%13%11%12%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support9%10%9%6%6%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%1%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school22.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils9.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.4%6.9%6.8%6.9%4.0%5.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.9%2.4%0.5%1.5%0.9%1.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.5%4.5%6.3%5.4%3.1%3.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence22.9%21.0%20.4%23.5%8.4%14.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate9.97.01.03.01.7
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00001

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers9.7full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher24.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants13.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,868
Teachers who left in the year29%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.62024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,205England £7,128. Total £1.8m
Income per pupil£7,846England £7,587. Total £2.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,992England £3,405
Money in reserve13%A healthy amount put by: £251k, £988 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£163kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,205spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m55612 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate105 per 1,000 people15% higher than the England average
Nearest bus stop160 mThistledown Road, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
The Milford AcademyAcademy610 m430Report card 202611Compare
Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy620 m253Outstanding 202293Compare
Whitegate Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy710 m424Good 202160Compare
The Glapton AcademyAcademy0.8 miles325Good 202361Compare
James Peacock Infant and Nursery SchoolCouncil1.2 miles300Good 202457Compare
Dovecote Primary and Nursery SchoolCouncil1.2 miles288No overall grade 20242Compare
St Peter's CofE Junior SchoolChurch of England1.7 miles347Report card 202586Compare
Trent Vale Infant SchoolCouncil1.7 miles148Not inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Highbank Primary and Nursery School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats49%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 34 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 36 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Highbank Primary and Nursery School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Westglade Primary SchoolCouncil7.7 miles237Not inspected53Compare
The West Park AcademyAcademy14.6 miles240Good 202254Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 34 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 34% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 18 to 58. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.10
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 30 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.09
DfE progress measure; 30 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.11
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.11
2024/25; 218 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Highbank Primary and Nursery School a good school?

The figures are weak. Highbank Primary and Nursery School scores 34 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 49% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 18 to 58, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Highbank Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Highbank Primary and Nursery School good at its last full inspection on 22 February 2023.

How good are Highbank Primary and Nursery School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 73% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Highbank Primary and Nursery School have?

250 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 377 places, so it is 66% full.

Is Highbank Primary and Nursery School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 96 places were empty in 2024/25 (29% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Highbank Primary and Nursery School?

Pupils were in school 93.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Highbank Primary and Nursery School?

The average class had 18.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Winscombe Mount, Clifton Estate, Nottingham, NG11 9FP
Telephone
0115 915 2965
Website
www.highbankpriandnursery.co.uk
Headteacher
Ms Sophie Wan
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Transform Trust (27 schools)
Local authority
Nottingham
Ward
Clifton East
Constituency
Nottingham South
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 October 2013 (new provision)
URN
140017 · LAESTAB 8922008 · UKPRN 10042928
Formerly
Highbank Primary and Nursery School

Where these figures come from