Schools in Rochdale
91 schools in 6 towns: how they were inspected, the best by phase, where places ran out, and the dates to apply.
Rochdale at a glance
- Schools
- 91 69 state primary, 13 state secondary, 2 sixth-form or college and 7 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 90% 66 of the 73 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 7 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 21 Of 81 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
- 11% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 9 of 82 state schools that take an intake. Rochdale's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Rochdale
Primary
| Place in Rochdale | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caldershaw Primary School | Rochdale | 1st (1/68) |
| 2 | All Souls Church of England Primary School | Heywood | Top 3% (2/68) |
| 3 | Ashfield Valley Primary School | Rochdale | Top 5% (3/68) |
| 4 | Holy Family Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy | Rochdale | Top 6% (4/68) |
| 5 | St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Bamford | Heywood | Top 8% (5/68) |
| 6 | St Andrew's Church of England Primary School and Nursery | Rochdale | Top 9% (6/68) |
| 7 | Whittaker Moss Primary School | Rochdale | Top 11% (7/68) |
| 8 | Bowlee Park Community Primary School | Manchester | Top 12% (8/68) |
| 9 | Alkrington Primary School | Manchester | Top 14% (9/68) |
| 10 | Heybrook Primary School | Rochdale | Top 15% (10/68) |
Ranked on 2025 KS2 results: the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The same rank as the full Rochdale primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Rochdale | School | Town | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College | Heywood | 1st (1/12) |
| 2 | Hollingworth Academy | Rochdale | Top 17% (2/12) |
| 3 | Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School | Manchester | Top 25% (3/12) |
| 4 | Oulder Hill Leadership Academy | Rochdale | Top 34% (4/12) |
| 5 | Wardle Academy | Rochdale | Top 42% (5/12) |
| 6 | Newhouse Academy | Heywood | Top 50% (6/12) |
| 7 | St Anne's Church of England Academy | Manchester | (7/12) |
| 8 | Falinge Park High School | Rochdale | (8/12) |
| 9 | Matthew Moss High School | Rochdale | (9/12) |
| 10 | Edgar Wood Academy | Heywood | (10/12) |
Ranked on 2026 GCSE results: Attainment 8, the average grade across eight GCSEs. The same rank as the full Rochdale secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Bury 1 school
- Heywood 12 schools · best schools
- Littleborough 5 schools · best schools
- Manchester 19 schools
- Slattocks 1 school · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September 2026 | Reception applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Rochdale council |
| 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. | Rochdale council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Rochdale council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Year 7 applications open | The council's application form opens. Look at your schools' admission rules and open days now. | Rochdale council |
| 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. | Rochdale council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Rochdale council |
Every Rochdale admission date · After offer day in Rochdale: replies, waiting lists and appeals
We hold no catchment maps for Rochdale. 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 9 of 82 state schools (11%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Rochdale: we hold checked fees for 0 of 7 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 82 nurseries and pre-schools in Rochdale, with fees held for 5. Nurseries in Rochdale by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Rochdale
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.