Schools in Manchester
185 schools in 8 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Manchester at a glance
- Schools
- 185 136 state primary, 32 state secondary, 4 sixth-form or college and 13 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 87% 122 of the 140 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 16 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 36 Of 164 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7). DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
- Offer distances held
- 4% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 7 of 168 state schools that take an intake. Manchester's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Manchester
Primary
| Place in Manchester | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Wilfrid's RC Primary School | Hulme | 1st (1/136) |
| 2 | Brookburn Community School | Manchester | Top 2% (2/136) |
| 3 | St Margaret Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy | Manchester | Top 3% (3/136) |
| 4 | St Malachy's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy | Manchester | Top 3% (4/136) |
| 5 | Oasis Academy Aspinal | Manchester | Top 4% (5/136) |
| 6 | Abbey Hey Primary Academy | Manchester | Top 5% (6/136) |
| 7 | Chorlton CofE Primary School | Manchester | Top 6% (7/136) |
| 8 | Green End Primary School | Manchester | Top 6% (8/136) |
| 9 | Rack House Primary School | Manchester | Top 7% (9/136) |
| 10 | Didsbury CofE Primary School | Manchester | Top 8% (10/136) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Manchester primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Manchester | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Manchester | Manchester | 1st (1/30) |
| 2 | Didsbury High School | Manchester | Top 7% (2/30) |
| 3 | Chorlton High School | Manchester | Top 10% (3/30) |
| 4 | Co-op Academy Belle Vue | Manchester | Top 14% (4/30) |
| 5 | The King David High School | Manchester | Top 17% (5/30) |
| 6 | Wright Robinson College | Manchester | Top 20% (6/30) |
| 7 | Whalley Range 11-18 High School | Manchester | Top 24% (7/30) |
| 8 | Burnage Academy for Boys | Manchester | Top 27% (8/30) |
| 9 | Levenshulme High School | Manchester | Top 30% (9/30) |
| 10 | St Peter's RC High School | Top 34% (10/30) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Manchester secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Ardwick 1 school · best schools
- Crumpsall 1 school · best schools
- Gorton 1 school · best schools
- Hulme 1 school · best schools
- Levenshulme 1 school · best schools
- Longsight 1 school · best schools
- Wythenshawe 1 school · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | National rule (School Admissions Code) |
Every Manchester admission date · After offer day in Manchester: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Manchester. Many schools here admit by distance; the catchment finder says which maps cover a postcode.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 7 of 168 state schools (4%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Manchester: we hold checked fees for 5 of 13 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 106 nurseries and pre-schools in Manchester, with fees held for 16. Nurseries in Manchester by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Manchester
Your children and your home, with the schools, the distances and the dates that are yours.Open your plan
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources are named beside each figure. How we know · All sources.