Manchester Communication Academy

About Manchester Communication Academy

Manchester Communication Academy sits within the Manchester local authority, a secondary landscape that includes 36 state schools of the same type. The school ranks 17th in the city by Progress 8, placing it in the middle of the pack. For context, the top-performing peers in the authority are Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Manchester, Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Manchester, and Levenshulme High School, each with significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The academy itself serves a notably high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 59.6 per cent eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated the school Good overall, with a standout Outstanding grade for personal development. This is an improvement on the previous inspection in 2019, which also rated it Good overall but did not award any Outstanding categories. The school is led by headteacher Susan Watmough and caters to 1,299 pupils aged 11 to 16, operating slightly above its official capacity of 1,200.

Academically, the school's Progress 8 score of 0.15 is positive, meaning pupils on average achieve a quarter of a grade more per subject than similar pupils nationally. This sits just below the Manchester local authority average of 0.18, but still places the school in the top 50 per cent nationally, ranked 1,199 out of 3,141 schools. Attainment 8 stands at 44, and 64.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though the figure drops to 42.5 per cent when using the higher grade 5 threshold. The EBacc average point score is 3.88, with 31.2 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Progress in the EBacc subjects is notably stronger than in English, where the score is slightly negative at -0.06. In maths, progress is positive at 0.08. The school does not have a sixth form, so all pupils leave at 16.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 580 applications for 234 places, a ratio of 2.48 applicants per place, with 178 first-preference offers made. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a theatre, music rooms, art studios, science labs, an astro turf, sports hall, and tennis courts. Sports offered include rowing, rugby, gymnastics, and hockey, while clubs range from Model UN and debate to gardening and chess. The school has a broad SEND offer, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. Given its strong Progress 8 score, high FSM intake, and oversubscription, this is a school that suits families looking for a large, inclusive secondary that delivers solid academic progress and prioritises personal development, particularly for pupils who may benefit from its extensive SEND support.

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