The hardest schools to get into in Salford
Secondary: 247 families put All Hallows RC High School first in 2026 and 145 of them (59%) were offered a place.
Reception: 55 families put St Mary's RC Primary School first in 2026 and 29 of them (53%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Salford with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Hallows RC High School · Salford · faith | 247 | 145 (59%) | 149 |
| 2 | Beis Yaakov High School · Salford · faith | 52 | 40 (77%) | 40 |
| 3 | Ellesmere Park High School · Manchester | 177 | 141 (80%) | 173 |
| 4 | St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School · Manchester · faith | 220 | 184 (84%) | 203 |
| 5 | Moorside High School · Manchester | 233 | 197 (85%) | 204 |
| 6 | St Patrick's RC High School · Manchester · faith | 199 | 170 (85%) | 172 |
| 7 | Salford City Academy · Manchester · faith | 173 | 154 (89%) | 175 |
| 8 | Co-op Academy Walkden · Manchester | 274 | 265 (97%) | 294 |
| 9 | Buile Hill Academy · Salford | 111 | 110 (99%) | 178 |
| 10 | The Albion Academy · Salford | 168 | 168 (100%) | 195 |
| 11 | Irlam and Cadishead Academy · Manchester | 162 | 162 (100%) | 174 |
| 12 | Oasis Academy MediaCityUK · Manchester | 134 | 134 (100%) | 174 |
| 13 | The Lowry Academy · Manchester | 127 | 127 (100%) | 147 |
| 14 | Co-op Academy Swinton · Manchester | 122 | 122 (100%) | 166 |
| 15 | Star Salford Academy · Worsley | 87 | 87 (100%) | 101 |
Primary schools (Reception)
Getting into a school in Salford
What is the hardest school to get into in Salford?
For secondary places, 247 families put All Hallows RC High School first in 2026 and 145 of them (59%) were offered a place. For Reception, 55 families put St Mary's RC Primary School first and 29 of them (53%) were offered a place.
How many families in Salford get their first-choice school?
85.9% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 91.1% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Salford published it in its admissions booklet.