Philips High School
N/A
Capacity
872
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About Philips High School
Philips High School is a mixed, non-religious state secondary in Bury, serving pupils aged 11 to 16. Within the local authority, it ranks 8th out of 14 secondary schools on Progress 8, placing it just above the middle of the pack. The top-performing peers in the area are Holy Cross College, The Derby High School, and Parrenthorn High School, all of which score higher on the same measure. Bury has no secondary schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and Philips currently holds a Requires Improvement rating. The school has 872 pupils on roll and is led by headteacher C W Hibbert. While it is not the highest-ranked option locally, its middle-of-the-table position in the LA suggests it is a solid, if not standout, choice for families in the area.
Academically, Philips delivers a mixed picture. Its Progress 8 score of 0.01 is classed as Average, and it sits just above the Bury LA average of -0.02, meaning pupils make roughly the expected level of progress compared with the national average. The Attainment 8 score is 47.4, and 66.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths (the basics 9-4 measure), though that drops to 45.5% for the stronger grade 5 or above threshold. The EBacc average point score is 4.39, with 61.8% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. Broken down by subject, Progress 8 in English is a positive 0.22, while maths drags behind at -0.25, suggesting a notable gap between the two. The school’s EBacc entry rate is relatively high, but only 26.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in that combination, which is a significant drop from the 43.6% at grade 4.
On the practical side, Philips offers a strong range of facilities including tennis courts, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, art studios, music rooms, an astro turf pitch, and even a chapel. Sports on offer include badminton, martial arts, netball, hockey, basketball, and gymnastics, while clubs range from drama and choir to Eco Club, Young Enterprise, DofE, and coding. The school is not oversubscribed based on its rank and pupil count, so it may be a more accessible option for families who want a broad extracurricular offering without the pressure of a highly selective intake. Given its Requires Improvement rating, parents should look closely at the most recent Ofsted report to understand what areas need work, but the school’s average Progress 8 and decent facilities make it a reasonable choice for families in Bury who want a solid state option for their child through to age 16.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Higher Lane, Manchester, Bury, M45 7PH |
| Headteacher | C W Hibbert |
| Local Authority | Bury |
| Number of Pupils | 872 |
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.01)
1490th of 3,141
Nationally
157th of 445
In North West
8th of 14
In Bury
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
2022/2341%
of GCSE leavers move to sixth form college (cohort: 176 pupils).
- Sixth form college41%
- FE college39%
- Not sustained9%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship2%
91% 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.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Attendance & Behaviour
2023/2475% 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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
9
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 Philips 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
School Open Days Calendar 2026/27
When open days happen and what to look for
Contact Information
Higher Lane, Manchester
Bury, M45 7PH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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