CHS South

About CHS South

CHS South is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Manchester that is clearly in high demand. With 1,128 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,200, the school is operating close to its limit, and the oversubscription picture is striking: for 217 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, there were 785 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.62. Only 126 of those offers went to first-preference applicants, despite 143 families listing it as their top choice. The school serves a community with significant economic disadvantage — 46.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of around 23% and notably higher than the Manchester local authority average for secondary schools. This intake profile shapes the school’s context and priorities, and it’s worth noting that the school has no sixth form, so all pupils move on after Year 11.

Academically, CHS South’s Progress 8 score of -0.14 places it in the ‘Average’ band nationally, meaning pupils overall achieve slightly below the expected level of progress compared with peers across England. That score ranks the school 25th out of 31 secondaries in Manchester, putting it in the bottom half of the local authority. The Attainment 8 score of 44.8 is below the national average of around 50, and the basics measure — the proportion achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs — sits at 47.3%, compared with 67.6% at the lower grade 4 threshold. The EBacc average point score is 4.0, and 60.8% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects, though only 28.4% achieved a grade 5 or above in it. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with all five categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management — each judged Good.

The school’s facilities are strong for a state secondary, including a theatre, art studios, music rooms, science labs, a sports hall, an astro turf pitch, and a library. Sports on offer include football, rugby, netball, rowing, and swimming, and there are clubs such as Young Enterprise, chess, drama, and a film club. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Given the high oversubscription, families living close to the school or with a strong local connection will have a clearer path to a place. This is a school that suits families who want a large, well-equipped secondary with a diverse intake and a Good Ofsted rating, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit around the national average rather than at the top of the local league table.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About CHS South

Helpful Guides for Parents