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Didsbury High School

Manchester, M20 2ETSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jan 2024
Progress 8
+0.67
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.9×
Oversubscribed
390 1st-choice / 206 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#311 of 3,141 nationally

About Didsbury High School

Didsbury High School is a state secondary in Manchester that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 1,275 applications for just 206 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 6.19. Of those applications, 390 were first-preference choices, and 197 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, and it's backed up by the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024, which rated it Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. The school is led by headteacher Katie Houghton and serves 1,181 pupils aged 11 to 18, with a capacity of 1,350. Just over 40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is a significant proportion and gives useful context for the academic results that follow.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
Address4 The Avenue, Manchester, Manchester, M20 2ET
HeadteacherKatie Houghton
Local AuthorityManchester
Number of Pupils1,181
Free School Meals (FSM)40.0%
School Capacity1,181 / 1,350 (87% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

30 Jan 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 10 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Swimming PoolICT SuiteSports HallAstro TurfPlaying FieldsScience LabsArt StudiosLibrarySixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

FootballRugbyCross CountryHockeyGymnasticsDance

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubDramaChoirDuke of EdinburghEco ClubNewspaperFilm ClubOrchestraYoung EnterpriseModel United NationsDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Didsbury High School

Didsbury High School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.