Holy Cross College, Bury
Holy Cross College is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Bury. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Cross College in detail
Holy Cross College in its own words
In its own words: "A Catholic college is a centre of community , life and study , which strives to be genuinely and fully human; bringing humanity to every aspect of college life. It is a place where people can learn, grow and develop while feeling valued and accepted for who they are."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Leaving school to join us at Holy Cross is the first step towards your future as a young adult. This is an exciting time as you prepare to make the transition from high school to sixth form college. Holy Cross has a long tradition of success."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama, orchestra, chess, debating, Duke of Edinburgh and book club.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 1112 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 19% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Bury (Manchester Metrolink), about 660 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holy Cross College (outside), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Cross College stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Contribution to meeting skills needs: Reasonable
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C+
Average grade
34.8
Points per entry
B-
Best 3 A-Levels
13%
Achieving AAB+
Above average
Value added
975
A-Level students
93%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 14 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,112 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
17%
Top-third university
71%
Degree course
74%
Any L4+ destination
2%
Apprenticeships
Based on 1,122 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Holy Cross College
Applications for Holy Cross in September 2027 are now open!
1 Oct 2026
Students and staff spread kindness through letter writing
23 Sep 2026
Update for September 2027 Applicants
16 Sep 2026
Everything you need to know about Induction 2026
28 Aug 2026
A Level high grades and pass rates at Holy Cross College increase again on Results' Day
13 Aug 2026
Enrolment: Unlock the support available to you at Holy Cross
6 Aug 2026
From Holy Cross College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Holy Cross College
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 30 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 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 - Bury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bury
Across Bury council
Places available
2,444
Applications
2,233
Got 1st preference
90.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Bury council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
Questions parents ask about Holy Cross College
What is Holy Cross College's Ofsted rating?
Holy Cross College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for Holy Cross College?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Cross College is oversubscribed, Bury allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to Holy Cross College?
Apply through Bury's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Cross 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 Holy Cross College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 30 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holy Cross College?
Holy Cross College is at 169 Manchester Road, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 9BB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)