Schools by area › Manchester › Our Lady's RC High School
Our Lady's RC High School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Voluntary aided
Alworth Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester M9 0RP · olhs-manchester.org.uk · 0161 507 9640
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Nov 2025 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.1
- average Attainment 8 score. Manchester 44.8, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,046
- 100% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Manchester
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 45.3%
- First language not English
- 54.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 232 families put the school first and 202 places were offered; 77% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 202 | 232 | 1.1▲ | 77% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 203 | 259 | 1.3▲ | 71% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 200 | 258 | 1.3▲ | 72% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 169 | 202 | 1.2▲ | 80% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 179 | 183 | 1▲ | 91% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.1, and 45.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Manchester it was 44.8, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.1 | 46.0 | ||
| ●45.9% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲67.1% | 64.8% | ||
| ●40.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.33 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.7 | +1.1 |
| Sixth form college | 53.4 | +2.8 |
| Further education | 36.2 | −0.2 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.1 | −0.8 |
| Employment | 0.6 | −1.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4 | −2.5 |
| Activity not captured | 2.9 | +1 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Our Lady's RC High School on 11 November 2025 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Strong standard
- Inspected
- 11 Nov 2025
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Strong standard |
| Achievement | Strong standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Strong standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Nov 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Feb 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (35 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Positive
- 97%
- Replies
- 35
- 3% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 66% who raised concerns
based on 2 parents (6%) whose child was bullied
based on 11 parents (31%) with SEND