Didsbury High School, Manchester

From the headteacher's welcome: "Didsbury High School is an 11-18 secondary school serving the South Manchester community and part of the Laurus Trust family. Since opening in 2019, we have established a reputation for high standards, academic excellence and a culture where students are encouraged to aim high."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cricket, basketball, badminton and dance.

In 2026, pupils at Didsbury High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 57.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.3 in Manchester and 47 across England.

62% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Manchester and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 57.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.67: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 46.2, against 64.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 18.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 365 families put Didsbury High School as their first choice and 1270 named it as one of their preferences, for 207 places offered. That is 1.8 first choices for every place. 167 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Didsbury High School are Loreto High School Chorlton (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42.3); CHS South (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2); Chorlton High School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.5); and Whalley Range 11-18 High School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.1).

Didsbury High School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Didsbury High School is one of 13 schools run by The Laurus Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 54.6 in 2024/25.

Of the 206 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

38.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 30.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (38%), Asian (17%) and Mixed (17%).

Didsbury High School had 94 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Withington (Manchester Metrolink), about 370 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nell Lane, 100 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Didsbury High School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Didsbury High School issued 214 suspensions, 18.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Didsbury High School are Cavendish Primary School (0.4 miles), St Ambrose RC Primary School (0.6 miles), West Didsbury CE Primary School (0.6 miles) and Old Moat Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.