Ellesmere Park High School
89%
Capacity
798
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About Ellesmere Park High School
Ellesmere Park High School is a mixed state secondary in Salford, serving pupils aged 11 to 16. In the local authority’s Progress 8 rankings, it sits 9th out of 15 schools, placing it just below the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in Salford are Beis Yaakov High School, All Hallows RC High School, and Salford City College, all of which post stronger Progress 8 scores. The school’s own Progress 8 score of -0.28 is slightly below the local authority average of -0.22, though the gap is modest. Headteacher Iain Ross leads a school with 798 pupils, operating just under its capacity of 900. Over a quarter of students (29.2%) are eligible for free school meals, a figure that reflects the school’s intake. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — a rating it has held consistently since at least 2014.
Academically, the school’s Attainment 8 score stands at 42.7, with 58.7% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths (the basics 9-4 measure). The more demanding basics 9-5 measure drops to 34.7%, indicating that while many pupils reach a standard pass, fewer reach the higher threshold. The EBacc average point score is 3.25, and only 12.7% of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects — well below the national trend. Progress 8 is banded as ‘Below average’, with the weakest progress in the EBacc subjects (-0.81) and maths (-0.41), while English (-0.12) and open subjects (0.19) are closer to the national average. Compared to the Salford average of -0.22, the school’s overall Progress 8 score of -0.28 is slightly behind, but the open element shows a positive contribution, suggesting pupils do better in non-core qualifications.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, music rooms, science labs, an astro turf pitch, and tennis courts. Sports provision is varied, with options such as rowing, martial arts, and swimming alongside more traditional football and hockey. Clubs include debate, Model UN, and an orchestra. The school has a strong SEND offer, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support, as well as a resourced provision. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school was oversubscribed: 467 applications for 177 places, with 152 offers made to first-preference applicants from 175 first-preference requests — a ratio of 2.64 applicants per place. There is no sixth form or nursery. This is a solidly Good, inclusive secondary that suits families looking for a well-resourced local school with a wide extracurricular offer, particularly those with children who have additional needs.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Wentworth Road, Manchester, Salford, M30 9BP |
| Headteacher | Iain Ross |
| Local Authority | Salford |
| Number of Pupils | 798 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.2% |
| School Capacity | 798 / 900 (89% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Jul 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 26 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.28)
2193rd of 3,141
Nationally
270th of 445
In North West
9th of 15
In Salford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 150 pupils).
- FE college69%
- Not sustained11%
- Sixth form college7%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship5%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
89% 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.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed177
467
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
175 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half 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 British69.3%
- Asian4.7%
- Mixed4.2%
- White (other)3.0%
- Black0.4%
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.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ellesmere Park 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
Wentworth Road, Manchester
Salford, M30 9BP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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