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Voluntary aided school · Manchester

Our Lady's RC High School

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,046Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Roman CatholicReligious character
  • 105576URN

Alworth Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester, M9 0RP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Nov 2025

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.8per place
0.3 above Manchester median (2.5)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Manchester

570 applications for 202 places · 13th of 32 in Manchester
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
49.6of 90
12th of 31 in Manchester
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 11 November 2025Published 11 January 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 11 November 2025
    Report card · 6 Strong standard
  2. 4 November 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains 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
2.8applications per place, Year 7
0.3 above Manchester median (2.5) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

570 applications · 202 places offered · 232 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 2.8; Manchester median median 2.5
  2. 2025 3.2; Manchester median median 2.6
  3. 2024 3.2; Manchester median median 2.6
  4. 2023 3.1; Manchester median median 2.6
  5. 2022 2.3; Manchester median median 2.1
  6. 2021 2.3; Manchester median median 2.1
  7. 2020 2.7; Manchester median median 2.4
  8. 2019 2.6; Manchester median median 2.3
  9. 2018 2.2; Manchester median median 2.1
  10. 2017 2.1; Manchester median median 2.1
  11. 2016 2.1; Manchester median median 2.0
  12. 2015 2.2; Manchester median median 1.8
  13. 2014 2.2; Manchester median median 1.7
More applications per place than the Manchester median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Manchester median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262025702.82321.15
Sep 20252036413.22591.28
Sep 20242006373.22581.29
Sep 20231695153.12021.20
Sep 20221794112.31831.02
Sep 20211784062.31760.99
Sep 20201554142.71711.10
Sep 20191574032.61661.06
Sep 20181573492.21230.78
Sep 20171473102.11030.70
Sep 20161423012.1910.64
Sep 20151202622.2770.64
Sep 20141122462.2970.87

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

202 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)49.612th of 31 in Manchester
Grade 5 or above in English and maths45%20th of 31 in Manchester
Grade 4 or above in English and maths66%
  • This school
  • Manchester median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.33
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)20249.645%66%–
2024/2520749.146%67%–
2023/2417448.646%72%+0.33
2022/2317449.945%66%+0.35

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

  • 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
Secondary
URN · DfE number
105576 · 352/4761
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Capacity
1,050 pupils · 1,046 on roll
Free school meals
45.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address
Alworth Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester, M9 0RP
Local authority
Manchester

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources