Catholic Schools / Manchester
Catholic Schools in Manchester
Find 84 Catholic schools in Manchester. Compare Ofsted ratings, Section 48 results, faith admissions criteria and catchment areas.
84 catholic schools in Manchester
Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Loreto College
Manchester · Post-16 · Mixed
Xaverian College
Manchester · Post-16 · Mixed
St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Anne's RC Primary School Crumpsall Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Brigid's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Catherine's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mark's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Richard's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Wilfrid's RC Primary School
Hulme · Primary · Mixed
Loreto High School Chorlton
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Antony's Roman Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
Christ The King RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Christ The King RC Primary School Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
English Martyrs' RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Holy Cross and All Saints RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady of Grace RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Our Lady's RC High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
Our Lady's RC Primary School Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Sacred Heart RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
Saint Paul's Catholic High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St. Aidan's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Alphonsus RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Ambrose RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Anne's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Anne's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Ann's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Bede's College
Whalley Range · All-through · Mixed
St Bernadette's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Bernard's RC Primary School Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Chad's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Charles' RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Clare's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School and Nursery, A Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Dunstan's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Edmund's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Edmund's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Gilbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, Eccles
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St John Bosco RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St John Fisher RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Denton
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St John's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Kentigern's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Malachy's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Margaret Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's Catholic High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Mary's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's RC Primary School, Manchester, A Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Matthew's RC High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Michael's Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Monica's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Monica's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Patrick's RC High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Patrick's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Peter's Catholic Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Peter's RC High School
Longsight · Secondary · Mixed
St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Stephen's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Thomas More RC College
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, Rochdale
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
St Willibrord's RC Primary School
Manchester · Primary · Mixed
The Barlow RC High School
Manchester · Secondary · Mixed
About Catholic schools in Manchester
Catholic schools in Manchester are faith schools maintained by the local diocese and funded by the state as voluntary aided or academy schools, meaning they are free to attend. Most give priority to baptised Catholic children when places are oversubscribed, applying faith-based criteria - such as a baptism certificate, evidence of regular Mass attendance, and sometimes a parish priest's reference - before distance or sibling rules come into play. Admissions requirements vary school by school, so it is important to read each school's published policy and any supplementary information form carefully. Some Catholic schools in Manchester are not heavily oversubscribed and may admit children of other faiths or no faith without requiring faith evidence at all.
Catholic schools in Manchester cover primary and secondary phases, with some offering sixth-form provision. As well as the standard Ofsted inspection, each school is subject to a Section 48 (denominational) inspection commissioned by the diocese, which assesses the Catholic ethos, religious education and collective worship - worth reading alongside the Ofsted report. Many parents also weigh pastoral care, the school's links to the local parish and community feel, not just academic results. Ofsted ratings and progress data are a useful starting point, but visiting the school and attending an open day will give you the most rounded picture before you apply.
Choosing a school in Manchester
Whether or not Manchester has schools of a particular type, the same fundamentals help you compare your options. Ofsted judgements - Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate - summarise the quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. A rating is a useful starting point, but bear in mind that some schools have not been inspected for several years and that a single word cannot capture everything about a school.
For secondary schools, Progress 8 is often more revealing than raw results. It measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, so a school serving a less advantaged community can still post strong progress. Attainment 8 shows average achievement across eight GCSEs, and the percentage of pupils reaching grade 5 or above in English and maths is a useful benchmark. For 16-18 study, look at A-Level and applied-course results and where students go next.
Beyond the data, look at how places are allocated when a school is oversubscribed and whether your address is likely to secure one, the range of subjects and activities on offer, the sixth-form provision if you are planning ahead, and travel and transport. Above all, visit. An open day tells you more about a school's atmosphere, pastoral care and whether it will suit your child than any league table can.
Frequently asked questions
How many catholic schools are there in Manchester?
There are 84 catholic schools in Manchester listed on School Signal, of which 14 are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
Which Catholic school in Manchester has the best Ofsted rating?
Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School Manchester is among the highest rated catholic schools in Manchester, judged Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection.
Do you have to be Catholic to get into a Catholic school in Manchester?
Not always. When a Catholic school in Manchester is oversubscribed, it will usually prioritise baptised Catholic children and apply faith criteria - such as a baptism certificate and evidence of regular Mass attendance - before admitting children of other faiths or none. Schools that are not oversubscribed may admit non-Catholic children without any faith requirement. Always check each school's admissions policy and supplementary information form, as the criteria vary between schools and dioceses.