Lily Lane Primary School, Manchester

Ofsted's report card from its 4 February 2026 inspection grades Lily Lane Primary School on 7 areas: 5 needs attention and 2 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "There is considerable variability in how well the curriculum is delivered across the school."

Early years - Needs attention. "The quality of the early years provision is improving."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Too many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) often do not get the support that they require."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders and those responsible for governance have not secured the quality of education and positive behaviour that pupils deserve."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "The impact of the personal development programme is hindered by the poor behaviour and lack of respect shown by a significant number of pupils in lessons and around the school."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "Pupils' achievement across the school is weak."

Attendance and behaviour - Urgent improvement. "Leaders' actions to improve attendance have not secured the rapid improvement that is needed."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders must implement effective strategies to reduce rates of persistent absenteeism, so that all pupils attend school frequently"; "Leaders must ensure that all staff have the necessary training and expertise to apply the behaviour policy consistently well, so that persistent low-level disruption is eliminated and all pupils can focus on their learning"; "Leaders should ensure that their strategic intentions to bring about improvements are implemented effectively and in a timely manner, so that pupils benefit from a high quality of education and care across the school"; "Leaders must ensure that staff routinely identify and resolve gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge of spelling, handwriting and grammar so that pupils, including those in the early years, are prepared fully for the next stage of their education"; "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is delivered effectively so that pupils develop a firm body of knowledge across all subjects and achieve well"; "Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to identify accurately the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and adapt the curriculum effectively to enable these pupils to achieve well"; "Leaders should work in partnership with staff, parents and carers so that all stakeholders understand the changes needed to improve the school and build confidence that the actions leaders are taking make a positive difference".

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils at Lily Lane Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 51% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 68% in reading and 69% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 55 families put Lily Lane Primary School as their first choice and 110 named it as one of their preferences, for 56 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Lily Lane Primary School are St Dunstan's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.2 miles); Moston Lane Community Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 69% reading, 75% maths); Moston Fields Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths); and Holy Trinity CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 66% reading, 64% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Lily Lane Primary School.

Lily Lane Primary School is one of 7 schools run by Changing Lives in Collaboration, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Lily Lane Primary School (as of April 2026): 38% would recommend the school, 42% say their child is happy there and 22% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (50%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (22%).

63.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 61.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Black (40%), White British (18%) and other ethnic groups (17%).

In 2026, 106 pupils (17.7%) received SEN support and 43 (7.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Central Park Station (Manchester Metrolink), about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lily Lane (near), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lily Lane Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Lily Lane Primary School issued 68 suspensions, 10.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The secondary schools closest to Lily Lane Primary School are St Matthew's RC High School (1 mile) and Co-op Academy North Manchester (1.1 miles).