St John's RC Primary School

About St John's RC Primary School

St John's RC Primary School sits in the middle of the pack for Manchester primary schools, with 55% of its Year 6 pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined in the 2023/24 academic year. That is just two percentage points below the local authority average of 57%, placing the school 71st out of 122 primaries in Manchester and in the bottom half nationally. The gap is small enough that it doesn't tell the whole story, though. Look closer at individual subjects and the picture brightens: 73% hit the expected level in reading and 73% in writing, both comfortably above the combined figure, while maths sits at 69%. The school's average scaled scores of 104 in reading and 103 in maths are solid, and 14% of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths. For a Roman Catholic voluntary aided school with a relatively modest 13.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, these results suggest a steady, if unspectacular, academic offering that broadly tracks the local norm.

Ofsted last inspected the school in November 2024 and judged it Good across the board, with the inspector noting that standards were maintained since the previous graded inspection in 2019, when it was also rated Good. That represents a notable shift from the school's earlier history: its 2006 inspection had awarded Outstanding for overall effectiveness, leadership and early years provision. The current Good rating covers quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 96% of respondents to the Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. 87% strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 88% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. The school's capacity of 420 is nearly full with 405 pupils on roll, and it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 reception places, receiving 111 applications for 49 spots, with 49 first-preference offers made.

The school offers a strong range of facilities including a library, chapel, art studios, playing fields and a dining hall, plus a nursery for three-year-olds. Sports provision is broad with gymnastics, football, cricket, rounders, netball, swimming and tennis, and clubs extend to drama, science club, gardening, film club and choir. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment, physical disability and other difficulties. However, the Parent View data on SEND support is more mixed than other areas: while 63% of respondents strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, 13% disagreed and 8% strongly disagreed, suggesting this is an area worth probing on a visit. The school is a Roman Catholic primary, so faith-based families may find it a natural fit, but its oversubscription means applying early is essential.

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