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SecondaryState · Voluntary aided school

St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School

37 Ash Drive, Wardley, Swinton, Manchester, M27 9QP ·

Ofsted:Good· 2024Roman Catholic
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At a glance

A state Roman Catholic secondary school for ages 11–16 in Manchester. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (February 2024). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 44.2 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 220 families put it first for 203 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–16
Pupils
1,078
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
No
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Salford
Headteacher
Mr Ben Davis
School website 01619211570 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports
Graded inspection 28 Feb 2024
GoodOverall effectiveness
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 205 pupils

Attainment 8
44.2
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
38%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
66.8%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.23
2023/24 · CI -0.43 to -0.04
This school
44.2
Salford
42.9
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
203
1st preferences
220
All applications
459
1st prefs per place
1.08
More first choices than places

184 of 220 first-preference applicants were offered a place (84%). 7 offers went to families living in another council area.

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
1,068
Capacity
1,050
103% full
Girls / boys
48/52
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)28.6%
  • English as an additional language19.5%
  • SEN support19.2%
  • Education, Health and Care plan3.5%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School, Manchester · SchoolPatch