Community school · Manchester

Crab Lane Primary School

3–11Ages
412Pupils
PrimaryPhase
105465URN

Crab Lane, Higher Blackley, Manchester, M9 8NB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.6 below Manchester median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Manchester

78 applications for 43 places · 112th of 125 in Manchester

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

56%met the expected standard

Manchester 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 29 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.6 below Manchester median (2.4) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

78 applications · 43 places offered · 43 named it first

2026 1.8; Manchester median median 2.4
2025 2.2; Manchester median median 2.4
2024 1.9; Manchester median median 2.4
2023 2.3; Manchester median median 2.5
2022 2.6; Manchester median median 2.6
2021 2.3; Manchester median median 1.9
2020 1.7; Manchester median median 1.8
2019 1.8; Manchester median median 1.9
2018 1.8; Manchester median median 2.0
2017 1.7; Manchester median median 2.0
2016 1.7; Manchester median median 2.0
2015 2.0; Manchester median median 2.0
2014 1.8; Manchester median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Manchester median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Manchester median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	43	78	1.8	43	1.00
Sep 2025	42	92	2.2	41	0.98
Sep 2024	57	106	1.9	53	0.93
Sep 2023	38	86	2.3	33	0.87
Sep 2022	32	82	2.6	31	0.97
Sep 2021	27	62	2.3	27	1.00
Sep 2020	51	87	1.7	47	0.92
Sep 2019	39	71	1.8	32	0.82
Sep 2018	45	83	1.8	40	0.89
Sep 2017	60	101	1.7	56	0.93
Sep 2016	56	96	1.7	51	0.91
Sep 2015	44	87	2.0	41	0.93
Sep 2014	44	80	1.8	39	0.89

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 74% · Writing 64% · Maths 76% → all three 56% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard56%73rd of 123 in Manchester

Manchester 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard74%

Manchester 73% England 78%

Higher standard18%

Manchester 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard64%

Manchester 70% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Manchester 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard76%

Manchester 74% England 77%

Higher standard24%

Manchester 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Manchester median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	56%	0%	104	105
2023/24	48%	2%	102	101
2022/23	46%	4%	101	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Crab Lane Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.8applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Clare's RC Primary School
0.7 km · Manchester

Remains Good2024

2.3applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Bowker Vale Primary School
0.8 km · Manchester

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Pike Fold Primary School
1.0 km · Manchester

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
E-ACT Blackley Academy
1.2 km · Manchester

Good2024

1.9applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Crumpsall Lane Primary School
1.5 km · Manchester

Good2023

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
1.7 km · Manchester

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Rhodes Green CE Primary School
1.8 km · Rochdale

Requires improvement2022

1.3applications per place 0%met the SATs standard
Cravenwood Primary Academy
1.9 km · Manchester

Remains Good2023

3.2applications per place 73%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105465 · 352/2296
Capacity: 472 pupils · 412 on roll
Free school meals: 62.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Crab Lane, Higher Blackley, Manchester, M9 8NB
Local authority: Manchester

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources