Lostock High School
71%
Capacity
522
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Lostock High School
Lostock High School sits in Trafford, a local authority that is one of the strongest in the country for secondary education. The school ranks 19th out of 19 state secondaries in the borough, placing it at the bottom of the local league table. That puts it in stark contrast with the top-performing peers nearby: Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Loreto Grammar School and Saint Ambrose College all achieve Progress 8 scores above 1.0, while Lostock’s own score sits well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Sale Grammar School, 4.2 km away. Lostock is a mixed, non-denominational secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is led by headteacher Lindsay Brindley and currently has 522 pupils on roll against a capacity of 740, so there is room to grow. Over a third of its students (36 per cent) are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national average, reflecting a more disadvantaged intake than many of its Trafford neighbours.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. That represents a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2013, when it was rated Requires Improvement. In the 2023/24 exam results, Lostock’s Progress 8 score was -0.73, which the Department for Education classes as well below average. The school’s Attainment 8 score was 38.4, and just 30.5 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was 18.3 per cent, with 9.8 per cent achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. For context, the Trafford local authority average Progress 8 score is +0.36, so Lostock’s performance sits significantly below the borough norm. The school’s EBacc average point score was 3.43, and its progress in English (-0.79) and maths (-0.52) both lagged behind the national average.
Lostock offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, science labs, astro turf, music rooms and a library, plus a chapel on site. Sports provision covers swimming, rugby, hockey and tennis, among others, and there are over a dozen clubs from chess and drama to Model UN and gardening. The school has a strong SEND offer, with resourced provision and support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, dyslexia and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school was oversubscribed: 151 applications for 91 places, with 35 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.66 suggests local demand is solid, even if the school’s academic outcomes are below the Trafford average. This is a school that will suit families who value a broad range of enrichment activities and strong SEND support, and who are realistic about its academic profile relative to the grammar schools nearby.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Selby Road, Manchester, Trafford, M32 9PL |
| Headteacher | Lindsay Brindley |
| Local Authority | Trafford |
| Number of Pupils | 522 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 36.0% |
| School Capacity | 522 / 740 (71% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Sept 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Sept 2021): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 25 Jun 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.73)
2878th of 3,141
Nationally
388th of 445
In North West
19th of 19
In Trafford
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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
2022/235%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 87 pupils).
- FE college59%
- Not sustained13%
- Sixth form college11%
- Employment7%
- School sixth form (stay)5%
- Apprenticeship3%
86% 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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed91
151
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
35 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% 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.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian35.8%
- White British27.8%
- Mixed10.0%
- White (other)5.7%
- Black1.1%
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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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 Lostock 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
Selby Road, Manchester
Trafford, M32 9PL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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