School Chooser

The Heys Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil226 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubAshton-Under-LyneTameside
School Chooser Score
48
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 24 to 73
Out of 100. Better than 60% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, December 2022
Reached the expected level at 1161%England 63%
Attendance95.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families48%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull226 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher21.5School workforce census

The Heys Primary School is a council school in Ashton-under-Lyne for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 226 pupils, 16 more than it has places for. About 48 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 49 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 60% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

Whiteacre Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9NS0161 330 1847heys.tameside.sch.ukMiss Lyndsay Davison headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 14 December 2022 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

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

Reached the expected level at 1161%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level7%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 45%45%20172018: 63%63%20182019: 74%74%20192023: 43%43%20232024: 57%57%20242025: 61%61%2025
Since 2017: +16%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017TamesideEngland
Pupils tested283030313231
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths61%57%43%74%63%45%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths7%10%0%10%0%3%4%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0104.0103.0107.0103.0102.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0103.0101.0107.0105.0102.0104.6104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0107.0105.0108.0103.0104.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard71%73%70%87%66%71%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard86%73%60%90%78%61%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)61%67%57%77%75%61%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.3+0.9+0.1-1.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.2+1.3+2.6-2.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged60%50%53%75%54%32%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged63%63%27%74%68%67%

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 4 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
60%63%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
67%56%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
44%61%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
5%7%
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.

Nearly full205 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
98% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 840 m away in 2026, 600 m away in 2025, 580 m away in 2023. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 840 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year. 33 families put it down as their first choice and 29 of them got in (88%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3033793088%840 mLA
2025 Primary3037723081%600 mLA
2024 Primary30256427100%all offeredLA
2023 Primary3045813067%580 mLA
2022 Primary30246928100%all offeredLA
2021 Primary3036713083%450 mLA
2020 Primary30300.7 milesLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 720 m of the school costs

Typical sale price within 720 m of the school£160,000half sold for £130k to £200k
Homes sold178December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-26%a typical home in the district sells for £215,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

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 roll226Census January 2026
Places210108% full
Pupils from low-income families43%48% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English42%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support16%36 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%11 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.17 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)46%£145,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls122 / 104
White British pupils31%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (18), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (12), Other difficulty or disability (8), Specific learning difficulty (5), Physical disability (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll226235232234221221
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals43%44%41%43%40%38%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language42%40%39%41%35%30%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%13%15%20%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school9.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.72024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission1.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.5%5.6%5.6%6.6%4.0%4.9%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.0%3.3%3.9%4.7%2.7%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.5%2.3%1.8%1.9%1.4%1.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence9.2%14.5%11.5%19.2%9.3%10.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.72.20.04.11.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

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

Teachers10.0full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher21.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,104
Teachers who left in the year10%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.52024/25

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£7,352England £7,738. Total £1.6m
Income per pupil£7,504England £7,697. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,976England £3,480
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £191k, £861 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£34kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,352spent 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 m112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate1 per 1,000 people99% lower than the England average
Typical house price£215,000Tameside
Nearest bus stop90 mMount Pleasant Street, 26 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
St James' Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy200 m230Not inspected72Compare
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Ashton-under-LyneRoman Catholic290 m235Good 202230Compare
Parochial CofE Primary and Nursery School, Ashton-under-LyneAcademy310 m212Good 202354Compare
Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England560 m187Report card 20265Compare
Canon Johnson CofE Primary SchoolAcademy970 m227Good 202362Compare
Lyndhurst Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles211Requires improvement 202331Compare
Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England0.7 miles233Good 202367Compare
Oasis Academy BroadoakAcademy0.8 miles420Report card 202617Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares The Heys Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats60%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 49 is 7 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 42 · highest 96100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than The Heys Primary 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
St James' CofE Primary School, Birch-in-RusholmeChurch of England6.1 miles222Good 202371Compare
St Alphonsus RC Primary SchoolRoman Catholic7.6 miles167No overall grade 202484Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 49 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 49% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 24 to 73. 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; 28 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.13
DfE progress measure; 28 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.15
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.04
2024/25; 184 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 28 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 The Heys Primary School a good school?

It is about average. The Heys Primary School scores 49 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 60% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 24 to 73, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is The Heys Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated The Heys Primary School good at its last full inspection on 14 December 2022.

How good are The Heys Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 61% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 7% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does The Heys Primary School have?

226 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 108% full.

Is The Heys Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 840 m away. 33 families put it down as their first choice and 29 of them got in. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at The Heys Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at The Heys Primary School?

The average class had 29.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does The Heys Primary School 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
Whiteacre Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9NS
Telephone
0161 330 1847
Website
www.heys.tameside.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Lyndsay Davison
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 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Tameside
Ward
Ashton St Michael's
Constituency
Ashton-under-Lyne
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
106201 · LAESTAB 3572037 · UKPRN 10068784

Where these figures come from