St Ambrose Barlow RC High School
102%
Capacity
1,068
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About St Ambrose Barlow RC High School
St Ambrose Barlow RC High School is a popular choice among Salford families, with 422 applications for 208 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.03. Of those, 180 offers went to first-preference applicants, and 194 families put the school as their top choice. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the high demand suggests a strong local reputation. The school is a Roman Catholic secondary for boys and girls aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It currently has 1,068 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 1,050. Just over a quarter of students (27.4%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and reflects the school's inclusive intake.
Academically, St Ambrose Barlow was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in March 2022. The inspection gave Outstanding marks for personal development, with Good ratings for behaviour and attitudes, leadership, and quality of education. In the 2023/24 exam results, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 45.8 and a Progress 8 score of -0.23, which is slightly below the Salford local authority average of -0.22. The school ranks 8th out of 15 secondary schools in Salford on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half nationally. The basics measure (grade 5 or above in English and maths) was 43.5%, while the EBacc average point score was 4.0, with 15.9% of pupils achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a gymnasium, music rooms, ICT suites, playing fields, an astro turf pitch, and a chapel. Sports provision includes swimming, tennis, rowing, and basketball, while clubs range from Eco Club and Model UN to choir and film club. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder, with a resourced provision on site. St Ambrose Barlow suits families who value a faith-based secondary education with strong pastoral care and a clear improvement trajectory, particularly those in Salford seeking a school that balances academic expectations with personal development.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | 37 Ash Drive, Swinton, Manchester, Salford, M27 9QP |
| Headteacher | Ben Davis |
| Local Authority | Salford |
| Number of Pupils | 1,068 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,068 / 1,050 (102% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Feb 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 30 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.23)
2076th of 3,141
Nationally
250th of 445
In North West
8th 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: 201 pupils).
- FE college49%
- Sixth form college31%
- Not sustained7%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment4%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
93% 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed208
422
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
194 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% 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 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 British62.9%
- Mixed9.8%
- White (other)8.4%
- Asian3.1%
- Black2.0%
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
10
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 St Ambrose Barlow RC 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
37 Ash Drive, Swinton, Manchester
Salford, M27 9QP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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