Grange School, Manchester
Grange School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Manchester, part of Prospere Learning Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Grange School in detail
Grange School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Grange School every child really matters and our relationship with you in this partnership is very important. We have state of the art facilities in the building and grounds which provide an environment suitable for the learning needs of all our children and young adults. These facilities are designed differently to suit different pupils."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Grange School are Melland High School (0.3 miles, Outstanding); Rodney House School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Reddish Hall School (1.1 miles); and Broadstones School (1.3 miles, Good).
Melland High SchoolRodney House SchoolReddish Hall SchoolBroadstones School
The trust
Grange School is one of 11 schools run by Prospere Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 27 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 93% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 7% to a further education college.
Who goes there
68.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 33.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (39%), Asian (22%) and Black (16%).
Almost every pupil at Grange School has an education, health and care plan (312 of 312 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ryder Brow Rail Station, about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Matthews Lane (near), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Grange School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Grange School issued 5 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years, Sixth form.
At a Glance
68.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Grange School
From Grange School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Grange School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Grange School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Grange School is in Manchester; for families living there:
Apply to Manchester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
3 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
142%
Over capacity
312 pupils
220 places
92 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,220
Applications
6,542
Got 1st preference
77.1%
Got preferred school
94.7%
All secondary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
312
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
312
Total Pupils
236
Boys
76
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
8.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,808
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.4%
Overall absence
17.2%
Persistent absence
238
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Grange School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Grange School
What are SATs results like at Grange School?
Of the pupils at Grange School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Grange School's Ofsted rating?
Grange School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Inadequate.
What is the catchment area for Grange School?
No fixed boundary. When Grange School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Grange School?
Grange School has around 312 pupils on roll. 69% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Grange School?
7.4% of sessions were missed at Grange School in 2024/25. 17.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Grange School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Grange School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Grange School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Grange School?
Grange School is at Matthews Lane, Gorton, Manchester, M12 4GR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)