Cedar Mount Academy

About Cedar Mount Academy

Cedar Mount Academy was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a rating it has held since its previous graded inspection in 2020. The school's Progress 8 score of -0.71 is the most telling academic metric, placing it well below the national average and significantly behind the Manchester local authority average of 0.18. This means that, on average, pupils at Cedar Mount achieve nearly three-quarters of a grade less per subject than students with similar starting points across the country. Within Manchester, the school ranks 30th out of 31 secondary schools on this measure, putting it in the bottom 10% of the local authority. The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 35, and only 37.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. The EBacc average point score is 3.42, with 77.9% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects but just 15.3% achieving a strong pass in it.

Despite the overall Requires Improvement judgement, Ofsted inspectors identified several areas of good practice. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management were all rated Good in the 2023 inspection, marking an improvement from the previous inspection when behaviour and attitudes were also Requires Improvement. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage, with 59.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The school's Progress 8 breakdown shows that pupils performed weakest in open subjects (Progress 8 score of -1.1) and strongest in EBacc subjects (-0.43), though all subject areas were below average. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils must move on after Year 11. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated secondary is Co-op Academy Belle Vue, 1.7 km away.

Cedar Mount Academy is a mixed, non-religious secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with a capacity of 900 and currently 820 pupils on roll. The school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry in 2025/26, receiving 194 applications for 120 places, with 48 first-preference offers made. Facilities include a theatre, sports hall, gymnasium, astro turf, music rooms, art studios and a sixth form centre, though the school itself does not offer post-16 education. Sports on offer range from rowing and swimming to cricket and gymnastics, and there is a wide selection of clubs including Model UN, Young Enterprise, orchestra and debate. The school provides support for a broad range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, social and emotional mental health needs, and physical disabilities. This is a school that suits families who value strong pastoral support and a wide extracurricular offer, but who are realistic about the academic challenges reflected in its Progress 8 and Ofsted data.

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