Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School
100%
Capacity
1,199
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School
Parents considering Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School will find a school that is clearly in demand. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 598 applications for 193 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.1. Of those, 258 families put it as their first preference, and 188 first-preference offers were made. That level of competition suggests a strong local reputation. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 1,199 pupils, just one short of its official capacity. Andrew Bridson is the headteacher. The most recent Ofsted inspection, a graded visit in 2017, rated the school Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management and for sixth-form provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. That’s a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when it was rated Requires Improvement.
Academically, Cardinal Langley sits slightly below national averages but above the local authority baseline. Its Progress 8 score is -0.12, which places it 5th out of 11 secondary schools in Rochdale. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 is -0.25, so pupils here make more progress than the typical Rochdale student. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 43.2, and 60.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 38.7%, with 17.2% achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is 0.11, and the average points per entry is 33.6, equivalent to a C+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. The sixth form is rated Good by Ofsted, and 20% of entries achieved AAB or higher. Nationally, the school ranks in the 57th percentile for Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of schools overall.
The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a swimming pool, chapel, sixth-form centre, science labs, and dedicated art and music rooms. Sports provision covers tennis, football, basketball, martial arts, and dance, while extracurricular options include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, coding, drama, and a book club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. With a free school meals rate of 25.6%, the school serves a diverse intake. Given its Catholic character, oversubscription, and improving Ofsted trajectory, this school will particularly suit families in the Rochdale area who want a faith-based secondary with a strong sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, and who are comfortable with a school that performs in line with or slightly above the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Rochdale Road, Manchester, Rochdale, M24 2GL |
| Headteacher | Andrew Bridson |
| Local Authority | Rochdale |
| Number of Pupils | 1,199 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,199 / 1,200 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (25 May 2022): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 7 Jun 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.12)
1802nd of 3,141
Nationally
209th of 445
In North West
5th of 11
In Rochdale
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.4
'22/23
30.7
'23/24
33.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2334%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 203 pupils).
- FE college39%
- School sixth form (stay)34%
- Sixth form college13%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment2%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2363%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 59 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
26%
Russell Group
26%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)63%
- Employment27%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Not sustained3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology28
- Business Studies:Single18
- Biology9
- English Literature9
- Physical Education / Sports Studies8
- Government and Politics7
- Religious Studies7
- Economics6
- History5
- Art and Design4
- Mathematics4
- Physics4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed193
598
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
258 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British68.1%
- White (other)9.3%
- Mixed5.2%
- Asian2.2%
- Black1.9%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
7
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Rochdale Road, Manchester
Rochdale, M24 2GL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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