Highfields College, Stockport
Highfields College is a pru school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Stockport. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Highfields College in detail
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Highfields College (as of September 2025): 65% would recommend the school, 75% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 51 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 37% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
65.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 98 pupils (53.8%) received SEN support and 84 (46.2%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Brinnington Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Northumberland Road (near), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Highfields College stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Highfields College excels at helping pupils who have struggled in other settings to rebuild confidence and trust. The school combines ambitious academics with expert emotional support, helping pupils regulate their behaviour and manage their feelings. Students benefit from a caring community and practical learning opportunities that prepare them well for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Exceptionally ambitious and personalised curriculum tailored to each pupil's needs
- Strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils who feel safe and supported
- Excellent focus on reading development with highly effective support for struggling readers
- Impressive enrichment and vocational opportunities including animal husbandry, ceramics, and bicycle maintenance
- Comprehensive careers education with real-life work experience in construction, catering, graphic design, and landscaping
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Animal husbandry, ceramics, bicycle maintenance, outdoor pursuits, construction work experience, catering, graphic design, landscaping
Highfields College is a warm and inclusive school that has transformed significantly since its last inspection in 2020. Pupils with special educational needs thrive here, rebuilding trust in adults and achieving highly with exceptional preparation for their next steps.
At a Glance
65.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Highfields College
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Highfields College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Highfields College is in Stockport; for families living there:
Apply to Stockport for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 17 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Stockport is 8 (the median across 135 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
Area Demand Pressure - Stockport
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stockport
Across Stockport council
Places available
3,325
Applications
3,368
Got 1st preference
79.9%
Got preferred school
94.2%
All secondary applications across Stockport council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
98
SEN Support
84
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
182
Total Pupils
111
Boys
71
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
40
Teachers
4.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,023
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Highfields College
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Highfields College
What is Highfields College's Ofsted rating?
Highfields College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Highfields College?
No fixed boundary. When Highfields College is oversubscribed, Stockport allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Highfields College?
Highfields College has around 182 pupils on roll. 66% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Highfields College?
Apply through Stockport's coordinated admissions process, naming Highfields College 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 Highfields College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 17 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Stockport is 8 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Highfields College?
Highfields College is at Essex Road, Brinnington, Stockport, SK5 8DR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)