Irk Valley Community School, Manchester

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~389m)Possible (~555m)Unlikely (~722m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Vicki Lord
Pupils:437 / 472 capacity
LA:Manchester
Phone:01614138707
Address:Waterloo Street, Lower Crumpsall, Manchester, M8 5XH
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 3 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 4 May 2023View full report
URN:105452
UKPRN:10070087
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Blackley and Middleton South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Irk Valley has made impressive progress in a short time under new leadership. Pupils achieve well, behave excellently and are confident learners. Teachers receive strong support to develop their skills, and the school is particularly successful at helping disadvantaged children and those with additional needs to succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Rapid improvement in pupil attainment, with Key Stage 1 standards set to rise above national averages and Year 6 pupils on track to exceed national measures
  • Consistently good to outstanding teaching with strong monitoring systems in place
  • Very good pupil behaviour, relationships and confidence in learning
  • Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
  • Significantly strengthened leadership at all levels with clear focus on improving outcomes

Areas for Improvement

  • Some pupils in mathematics still below national expectations, though targeted breakfast clubs and small group teaching are addressing this
  • A small number of pupils with special educational needs show variation in achievement
  • Limited opportunities in some lessons for pupils to contribute their own ideas and take initiative during activities

Safeguarding

Safeguarding checks are effective - the Single Central Record was checked and confirmed all new staff since the last visit were properly included.

Extracurricular Activities

breakfast clubs

Irk Valley Community School was judged to require improvement and has made significant progress through strong leadership changes and focused improvement efforts. The school is now ready for a full inspection following demonstrated gains in teaching quality and pupil attainment across year groups.

At a Glance

52.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

109 responses
Would recommend97%
Child is happy96%
Well taught96%
Good progress86%
Feels safe97%
Well behaved96%
Bullying dealt with30%
Kept informed96%
Handles concerns71%
Wider development92%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-12ppMaths-10ppWriting-15pp

Reading has declined from 70% to 58%. Maths has declined from 78% to 68%. Writing has declined from 73% to 58%.

Class Sizes

28.3

Avg class size

26.6

Infant (KS1)

31.3

KS2

13

Total classes

5 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Waterloo Street (adj)
62m · 1 min walk
Irk Bridge (nr)
112m · 2 min walk
Etherstone Street (opp)
118m · 2 min walk
Chataway Road (opp)
155m · 3 min walk
Brookwood Avenue (opp)
163m · 3 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

93%

Near capacity

437 pupils

472 capacity

35 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Manchester

Low pressure
New homes approved:18,398
Projected new pupils:4,600

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Manchester

Admissions Demand - Manchester

Low demand0.77x oversubscription

Places available

7,395

Applications

5,691

Got 1st preference

97.3%

Got preferred school

99.5%

Primary admissions across Manchester (2025/26)

Inspection History(10)

4 May 2023
27 February 2018
1 July 2014
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

6.42381%

Overall absence

17.27749%

Persistent absence

382

Enrolments

Authorised3.89561%
Unauthorised2.52821%
Persistent (10%+)17.27749%
Severe (50%+)1.57068%

Absence trend

3.59877%
18/19
5.18832%
20/21
6.88482%
21/22
6.93085%
22/23
5.96632%
23/24
6.42381%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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