Voluntary aided school · Manchester

St Catherine's RC Primary School

3–11Ages
426Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105524URN

School Lane, Didsbury, St Catherines Rc Primary Scho, Manchester, M20 6HS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

close to Manchester median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Manchester

135 applications for 52 places · 46th of 125 in Manchester

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

55%met the expected standard

Manchester 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 7 November 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

2.6applications per place, Reception

close to Manchester median (2.4) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

135 applications · 52 places offered · 52 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Manchester median median 2.4
2025 2.5; Manchester median median 2.4
2024 2.4; Manchester median median 2.4
2023 2.3; Manchester median median 2.5
2022 2.6; Manchester median median 2.6
2021 2.1; Manchester median median 1.9
2020 2.0; Manchester median median 1.8
2019 2.8; Manchester median median 1.9
2018 2.3; Manchester median median 2.0
2017 2.8; Manchester median median 2.0
2016 2.7; Manchester median median 2.0
2015 3.1; Manchester median median 2.0
2014 3.2; Manchester median median 1.9

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	52	135	2.6	52	1.00
Sep 2025	52	132	2.5	52	1.00
Sep 2024	55	131	2.4	55	1.00
Sep 2023	56	127	2.3	52	0.93
Sep 2022	59	153	2.6	58	0.98
Sep 2021	60	124	2.1	67	1.12
Sep 2020	60	122	2.0	56	0.93
Sep 2019	60	168	2.8	70	1.17
Sep 2018	48	111	2.3	47	0.98
Sep 2017	59	162	2.8	61	1.03
Sep 2016	59	161	2.7	60	1.02
Sep 2015	59	182	3.1	79	1.34
Sep 2014	60	194	3.2	74	1.23

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 76% · Writing 71% · Maths 67% → all three 55% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard55%78th of 123 in Manchester

Manchester 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard76%

Manchester 73% England 78%

Higher standard33%

Manchester 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Manchester 70% England 75%

Greater depth8%

Manchester 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard67%

Manchester 74% England 77%

Higher standard27%

Manchester 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	55%	6%	106	104
2023/24	56%	0%	105	104
2022/23	59%	10%	107	105

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

St Catherine's RC Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Beaver Road Primary School
0.4 km · Manchester

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.4applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Didsbury CofE Primary School
0.6 km · Manchester

Good2022

6.1applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St John's Church of England Primary School
1.2 km · Stockport

2025

4.8applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School and Nursery, A Voluntary Academy
1.4 km · Manchester

Remains Good2024
Broad Oak Primary School
1.5 km · Manchester

Good2024

2.8applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
West Didsbury CE Primary School
1.5 km · Manchester

Remains Good2023

3.7applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Didsbury Road Primary School
1.6 km · Stockport

Good2024

3.9applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
Ladybarn Primary School
1.7 km · Manchester

Good2023

2.5applications per place 75%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105524 · 352/3432
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 420 pupils · 426 on roll
Free school meals: 11.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: School Lane, Didsbury, St Catherines Rc Primary Scho, Manchester, M20 6HS
Local authority: Manchester

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