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Our Lady's RC High School

Manchester, M9 0RPSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jan 2026
Progress 8
+0.33
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.3×
Oversubscribed
259 1st-choice / 203 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#785 of 3,141 nationally

About Our Lady's RC High School

Our Lady's RC High School in Manchester posts a Progress 8 score of 0.33, which is notably above the local authority average of 0.18 for secondary schools. This places the school 12th out of 31 schools in Manchester, comfortably in the top 40% of its peers. The school's Progress 8 banding is officially rated as 'Above average', and its Attainment 8 score sits at 48.6. These headline metrics suggest a school that is adding significant value to its pupils' learning compared with the typical Manchester secondary. The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 641 applications for 203 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 184 offers went to first-preference families. With 43% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average disadvantage, making its strong progress scores all the more striking.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressAlworth Road, Manchester, Manchester, M9 0RP
HeadteacherLee Ormsby
Local AuthorityManchester
Number of Pupils1,050
Free School Meals (FSM)43.0%
School Capacity1,050 / 900 (117% full)

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

4 Nov 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (4 Nov 2021): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 17 Mar 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Swimming PoolSports HallTennis CourtsPlaying FieldsScience LabsAstro TurfSixth Form CentreChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

FootballMartial ArtsRowingCross CountryRugbyBadmintonGymnasticsBasketballHockeyTennis

Clubs & Activities

DebateDuke of EdinburghScience ClubEco ClubDramaChessArt ClubNewspaperYoung EnterpriseFilm Club

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:25 – 14:50

Source: olhs-manchester.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Our Lady's RC High School

Our Lady's RC High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.