Irk Valley Community School, Manchester
Irk Valley Community School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 223rd-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 12,330th of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Irk Valley Community School in detail
Irk Valley Community School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Irk Valley is a large primary school close to Manchester's city centre. We are lucky enough to service a culturally diverse community and we enjoy learning from each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect. This is a warm and friendly school with a family feel, where our children are happy and safe."
The school runs a breakfast club, from £2 per day.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils at Irk Valley Community School reached the expected standard in reading and 68% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 70% in reading and 78% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Irk Valley Community School
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Irk Valley Community School as their first choice and 123 named it as one of their preferences, for 37 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Irk Valley Community School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Irk Valley Community School are Oasis Academy Harpur Mount (0.2 miles, Good, 81% reading, 84% maths); Holy Trinity CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 66% reading, 64% maths); Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.6 miles, 83% reading, 92% maths); and St Anne's RC Primary School Crumpsall Manchester (0.6 miles, Good, 67% reading, 63% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Irk Valley Community School.
Oasis Academy Harpur MountHoly Trinity CofE Primary SchoolMount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademySt Anne's RC Primary School Crumpsall Manchester
What parents say
109 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Irk Valley Community School (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 87% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (97%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (86%).
Who goes there
52.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 71.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (60%), other ethnic groups (20%) and Mixed (8%).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Abraham Moss (Manchester Metrolink), about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Waterloo Street (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Irk Valley Community School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Irk Valley Community School issued 5 suspensions, 1.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Irk Valley Community School are Abraham Moss Community School (0.5 miles), Manchester Communication Academy (0.8 miles) and Co-op Academy Manchester (1.1 miles).
Abraham Moss Community SchoolManchester Communication AcademyCo-op Academy Manchester
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from July 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Irk Valley is a joyful, welcoming place where your child will feel safe and valued. The school has high expectations and provides excellent support for all pupils, especially those with additional needs. Teachers are skilled at identifying gaps in learning and addressing them quickly, and the school enriches learning through a wide variety of trips, activities, and leadership opportunities that prepare pupils to be confident and responsible citizens.
Key Strengths
- Strong support for pupils with SEND, including early identification from Nursery Year and expert individual support where needed - most pupils with SEND succeed alongside their classmates
- Reading is a priority across the school with a strong phonics programme in Reception and Key Stage 1, and most staff are experts in teaching pupils to read
- Pupils feel safe, well cared for, and behave well - they celebrate differences, learn to treat each other equally, and have access to a wide variety of enriching trips and activities
- High expectations of pupil behaviour and achievement, with strong leadership systems and committed governors who provide support and challenge
Areas for Improvement
- In a few foundation subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is not as well developed as it could be, which hinders the design of learning focused on the most important content
- Some pupils in Key Stage 2, including those who are further behind, are not catching up in reading quickly enough due to insufficient practice in matching letters to sounds
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - leaders have established a strong culture where all adults take safeguarding duties seriously, staff are well trained and vigilant, and leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure families receive the right help.
Extracurricular Activities
Zoo visits, theatrical performance of 'Twelfth Night' at city centre theatre, volunteering with older residents in local community, environmental awareness initiatives, peer mentoring, sports leadership activities
Irk Valley Community School continues to be a good school where pupils are proud to belong to this welcoming and diverse community. The school places pupils' needs at the centre of its vision and has designed a rich curriculum that builds logically from Nursery through to Year 6.
At a Glance
52.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
109 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 70% to 58% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 78% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 73% to 58% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.5
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
31.1
KS2
13
Total classes
5 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Irk Valley Community School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Irk Valley Community School.
- Superstars - Oasis Harphur Mount370m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Irk Valley Community School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Irk Valley Community 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
- 8
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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
Your chances of a place at Irk Valley Community School
Will you get a place at Irk Valley Community School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Irk Valley Community School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Irk Valley Community School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Irk Valley Community School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Irk Valley Community School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Manchester got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
413 pupils
450 places
37 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
87
SEN Support
25
EHC Plans
25.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
437
Total Pupils
223
Boys
214
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,064
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,118
Per pupil
£2929k
Total funding
£265k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
17.3%
Persistent absence
382
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Irk Valley Community School
Questions parents ask about Irk Valley Community School
What are SATs results like at Irk Valley Community School?
Of the pupils at Irk Valley Community School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 58% reached the expected standard in reading and 68% did so in maths.
What is Irk Valley Community School's Ofsted rating?
Irk Valley Community School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Irk Valley Community School?
No fixed boundary. When Irk Valley Community School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Irk Valley Community School?
Irk Valley Community School was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 450 places.
How big are the classes at Irk Valley Community School?
Classes at Irk Valley Community School average 29.5 pupils (2025/26). 5 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Irk Valley Community School?
Irk Valley Community School has around 437 pupils on roll. 52% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Irk Valley Community School?
6.4% of sessions were missed at Irk Valley Community School in 2024/25. 17.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Irk Valley Community School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Irk Valley Community School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Irk Valley Community School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Irk Valley Community School: Superstars - Oasis Harphur Mount (370m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Irk Valley Community School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Irk Valley Community School?
Irk Valley Community School is at Waterloo Street, Lower Crumpsall, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M8 5XH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)