Whalley Range 11-18 High School
100%
Capacity
1,647
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Whalley Range 11-18 High School
Whalley Range 11-18 High School is clearly a popular choice among Manchester families. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 598 applications for 252 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.37. Of those, 192 families put it as their first preference, and 184 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests a strong reputation locally, and it's worth noting that the school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding. The school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections, having improved from a Requires Improvement grade in its previous graded inspection. With 1,647 pupils on roll, it is operating very close to its capacity of 1,650, which reinforces the sense that this is a school that local families are keen to get into.
Academically, Whalley Range delivers results that comfortably outstrip the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.79 is well above average nationally and ranks it 5th out of 31 schools in Manchester, where the LA average Progress 8 is 0.18. That places it in the top 10% of schools in the North West and the top 7% nationally. The school's Attainment 8 score is 51.9, and 70.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 64%, with 49.6% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the sixth form, the school's value added score is 0.01, which is average, and students achieved an average of C+ per A-level entry, with 18% of entries graded AAB or higher. The school's Progress 8 banding is well above average, and its strongest subject areas appear to be EBacc subjects and English.
The school is a non-denominational girls' secondary with a co-educational sixth form, and it offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, sports hall, and sixth form centre. There are extensive SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities, among others. The school runs a broad set of extracurricular clubs including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. For families considering Whalley Range, the data paints a picture of a high-performing, oversubscribed school that is particularly strong at GCSE level, with a diverse intake — over half of pupils are eligible for free school meals. It will suit families who want a large, well-led girls' school with strong academic progress and a good range of enrichment opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Wilbraham Road, Manchester, Manchester, M16 8GW |
| Headteacher | Michael Lea |
| Local Authority | Manchester |
| Number of Pupils | 1,647 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 51.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,647 / 1,650 (100% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Apr 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (28 Apr 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 12 Nov 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.79)
196th of 3,141
Nationally
21st of 445
In North West
5th of 31
In Manchester
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
30.4
'22/23
27.0
'23/24
31.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2359%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 103 pupils).
- University (HE)59%
- Not sustained17%
- Employment12%
- Apprenticeship4%
Source: DfE 16-18 destination measures, Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion. Russell Group / top-third HE breakdown not shown.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed252
598
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
192 families put this school as their 1st choice (32% 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 75% 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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian57.5%
- Mixed6.1%
- White British1.7%
- White (other)1.0%
- Black0.8%
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.
Half 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.
13
Total schools
13
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 Whalley Range 11-18 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
Wilbraham Road, Manchester
Manchester, M16 8GW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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