School Chooser

Orchard Primary School and Nursery

Primary · ages 2-11MixedCouncil344 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubNottinghamNottinghamshire
School Chooser Score
8
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 5 to 16
Out of 100. Better than 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, June 2026
Reached the expected level at 1156%England 63%
Attendance94.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families18%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull344 pupils, 315 places
Pupils per teacher21.2School workforce census

Orchard Primary School and Nursery is a council school in Nottingham for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 344 pupils, 29 more than it has places for. About 18 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 8 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in June 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Chapel Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, NG17 8JY01623 455939orchard-pri.notts.sch.ukMs Alison Prodger headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 2 June 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
2 February 2022S5 InspectionGood

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1156%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level2%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 75%75%20172018: 89%89%20182019: 81%81%20192023: 60%60%20232024: 20%20%20242025: 56%56%2025
Since 2017: -19%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017NottinghamshireEngland
Pupils tested434545434544
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths56%20%60%81%89%75%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths2%0%0%7%13%2%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0101.0104.0107.0109.0103.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0101.0103.0106.0107.0106.0104.6104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0102.0104.0108.0108.0108.0105.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%64%78%98%96%75%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard63%53%67%93%96%93%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)60%33%78%86%89%91%
Reading progressReading progress score-2.1+1.5+3.0-0.8
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.4-0.4+1.9+2.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged38%0%55%67%87%67%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged60%28%62%85%90%77%

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
38%60%
Gap 22 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
55%57%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%2%
Gap 2 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.

Full312 pupils for 312 places, 2024/25
100% full

The school is full. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (41 offers for 45 places).

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary4513441all offeredLA
2025 Primary4511534all offeredLA
2024 Primary4515044all offeredLA

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 roll344Census January 2026
Places315109% full
Pupils from low-income families17%18% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support29%101 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%8 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.08 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils13%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)19%£85,250 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls184 / 160
White British pupils87%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (39), Moderate learning difficulty (37), Other difficulty or disability (10), Autistic spectrum disorder (6), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (6), Specific learning difficulty (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll344348348360361361
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals17%18%17%17%18%16%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%5%5%4%3%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support35%30%21%23%18%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%0%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school11.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.62024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.7%5.3%5.9%5.8%2.4%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.8%3.9%4.4%4.7%1.8%2.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.9%1.5%1.4%1.1%0.6%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence11.2%11.4%15.3%17.0%2.6%9.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.60.90.60.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers15.8full-time equivalent, 18 people
Pupils per teacher21.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants14.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,640
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher7.92024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£6,480England £7,738. Total £2.2m
Income per pupil£6,509England £7,697. Total £2.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,857England £3,480
Money in reserve3%Not much put by: £73k, £213 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£10kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,480spent 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 m18812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate81 per 1,000 people11% lower than the England average
Typical house price£200,000Ashfield
Nearest bus stop70 mGreenwood Drive, 14 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 West Park AcademyAcademy660 m240Good 202254Compare
Greenwood Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy770 m445No overall grade 202576Compare
Leamington Primary and Nursery AcademyAcademy1.0 miles461Good 201958Compare
Morven Park Primary and Nursery SchoolCouncil1.0 miles435Good 202351Compare
Kingsway Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles252Good 202283Compare
Kirkby Woodhouse SchoolAcademy1.2 miles386Good 202358Compare
Abbey Hill Primary & NurseryAcademy1.3 miles218Good 202317Compare
Mapplewells Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy1.5 miles340No overall grade 202597Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Orchard Primary School and Nursery 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.

Beats4%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 8 is 37 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 46 · highest 98100

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 Orchard Primary School and Nursery, 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
St Andrew's CofE Primary and Nursery SchoolChurch of England2.9 miles353Good 202361Compare
Hasland Infant SchoolCouncil10.4 miles312Good 202257Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 8 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 8% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 16. 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
-0.17
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 43 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.22
Ofsted report card, 0.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.15
DfE progress measure; 43 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
0.00
2024/25; 269 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.16
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 43 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 Orchard Primary School and Nursery a good school?

The figures are weak. Orchard Primary School and Nursery scores 8 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 16, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

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

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 2 June 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

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

In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 2% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Orchard Primary School and Nursery have?

344 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 315 places, so it is 109% full.

Is Orchard Primary School and Nursery oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Orchard Primary School and Nursery?

Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

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

The average class had 28.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 13% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Orchard Primary School and Nursery have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Chapel Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, NG17 8JY
Telephone
01623 455939
Website
www.orchard-pri.notts.sch.uk
Headteacher
Ms Alison Prodger
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Nottinghamshire
Ward
Kirkby Cross & Portland
Constituency
Ashfield
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
122722 · LAESTAB 8912918 · UKPRN 10069278

Where these figures come from