Bridgewater Primary School, Manchester
Bridgewater Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 40th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 3,012th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Salford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Bridgewater Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Bridgewater Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Salford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 81% in maths).
Getting a place at Bridgewater Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 45 families put Bridgewater Primary School as their first choice and 124 named it as one of their preferences, for 51 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Bridgewater Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bridgewater Primary School are St Edmund's RC Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 84% reading, 73% maths); St Andrew's Methodist Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 80% maths); Hilton Lane Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 47% maths); and Hilton Lane Primary School (0.5 miles).
Bridgewater Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Edmund's RC Primary SchoolSt Andrew's Methodist Primary SchoolHilton Lane Primary SchoolHilton Lane Primary School
Who goes there
48.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 25.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Mixed (16%) and Black (10%).
In 2026, 118 pupils (26.7%) received SEN support and 10 (2.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Walkden Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Weaste Avenue (near), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Bridgewater Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bridgewater Primary School issued 6 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Bridgewater Primary School are Star Salford Academy (0.4 miles), The Lowry Academy (0.5 miles), Kearsley Academy (1.1 miles) and Co-op Academy Walkden (1.4 miles).
Star Salford AcademyThe Lowry AcademyKearsley AcademyCo-op Academy Walkden
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Salford published that the last place for 2016 entry went to a family 0.856 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from October 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils thrive in this happy, nurturing school. Children in the early years, along with any new pupils across the school, are given a warm welcome. They settle into school life quickly. Relationships between adults and pupils are exceptionally strong. Pupils strive to live up to the school's motto, ensuring that each step they make in their learning 'makes a big difference.'
Pupils display exemplary behaviour throughout the school day. They are enthusiastic about the house points and 'star of the week' awards that they receive for following the school's 'golden rules.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
This is a school that is never complacent. Despite its many notable strengths, the school continually looks to further improve on its already exceptional offer to pupils. Much thought has gone into shaping a curriculum from the early years to Year 6 that meets pupils' needs and interests. The careful construction of the curriculum means that pupils continually build on their learning until they secure a deep body of knowledge across all subjects.
The school ensures that pupils with SEND are identified accurately and swiftly. Staff are united in their view that additional needs should not be a barrier to learning. When necessary, they skilfully adapt resources so that these pupils can learn the same curriculum as their classmates. The school engages with outside agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND receive expert support when it is needed.
From Ofsted's May 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its October 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
48.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 81% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 78% to 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
29.8
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Bridgewater Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Bridgewater Primary School.
- Stagecoach Salford640m away · Not yet graded
- Playkidds at North Walkden Primary School800m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Bridgewater Primary School, with their latest published grades:
- Nurturing Hands Childcare limited - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 22 January 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Little Hulton Children's Centre Nursery - Day nursery, 0.4 milesOfsted, 11 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Community Little Hulton HAF scheme - Pre-school, 0.4 miles
- Kumon Walkden Study Centre - Pre-school, 0.4 miles
- Holly House Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 29 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Term dates
Bridgewater Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Salford. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 2 April 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 19 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Wednesday 26 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bridgewater Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bridgewater Primary School is in Salford; for families living there:
- Salford's school travel policy: Salford home to school transport policy 2026 (Adobe PDF format, 156kb)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 17 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bridgewater Primary School
Will you get a place at Bridgewater Primary School?
Salford published that the last place at Bridgewater Primary School offered on distance for 2016 entry went to a family 0.86 miles away. For 2026 entry it had 45 first choices for 51 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
417 pupils
420 places
3 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Salford council
Places available
3,266
Applications
2,753
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All primary applications across Salford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Little Hulton and Walkden Primary planning area (Salford) will have 426 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
118
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
29.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
442
Total Pupils
212
Boys
230
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
26
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,265
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,146
Per pupil
£2946k
Total funding
£305k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
10.8%
Persistent absence
369
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Bridgewater Primary School
Questions parents ask about Bridgewater Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bridgewater Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bridgewater Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is Bridgewater Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bridgewater Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in October 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
How close to Bridgewater Primary School do you need to live?
Salford published for September 2016 entry that the last place offered at Bridgewater Primary School on distance went to a family 0.856 miles away.
Is it hard to get a place at Bridgewater Primary School?
Bridgewater Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Bridgewater Primary School?
Classes at Bridgewater Primary School average 29.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bridgewater Primary School?
Bridgewater Primary School has around 442 pupils on roll. 49% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bridgewater Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Bridgewater Primary School in 2024/25. 10.8% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does Bridgewater Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Bridgewater Primary School: Stagecoach Salford (640m away, registered, not yet graded) and Playkidds at North Walkden Primary School (800m away, registered, not yet graded).
What are Bridgewater Primary School's term dates?
Bridgewater Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Salford. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 2 April 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 19 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Wednesday 26 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Bridgewater Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 17 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 4 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bridgewater Primary School?
Bridgewater Primary School is at Bridgewater Street, Little Hulton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M38 9WD.
Sources: Salford admissions booklet; Salford term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)