Melland High School, Gorton
Melland High School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Gorton, part of Bright Futures Educational Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Melland High School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Melland High School are Grange School (0.3 miles, Outstanding); Reddish Hall School (0.9 miles); Rodney House School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); and Broadstones School (1.2 miles, Good).
Grange SchoolReddish Hall SchoolRodney House SchoolBroadstones School
The trust
Melland High School is one of 11 schools run by Bright Futures Educational Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 23 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
71.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 43% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (35%), White British (21%) and Black (21%).
Almost every pupil at Melland High School has an education, health and care plan (256 of 256 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Melland High School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ryder Brow Rail Station, about 660 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gorton Education Village (outside), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Melland High School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Melland High School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its February 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
71.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Melland High School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Melland High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Melland High 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
5 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
172%
Over capacity
256 pupils
149 places
107 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Gorton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gorton
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,220
Applications
6,542
Got 1st preference
77.1%
Got preferred school
94.7%
All secondary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
256
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Melland High School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
256
Total Pupils
167
Boys
89
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
34
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,014
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.4%
Overall absence
34.6%
Persistent absence
188
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Melland High School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Melland High School
What are GCSE results like at Melland High School?
In the 2023 results, pupils at Melland High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.2 and a Progress 8 score of -1.67, well below the national average. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Melland High School's Ofsted rating?
Melland High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Melland High School?
No fixed boundary. When Melland High School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Melland High School?
Melland High School has around 256 pupils on roll. 71% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Melland High School have specialist SEN provision?
Melland High School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Melland High School?
10.4% of sessions were missed at Melland High School in 2024/25. 34.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Melland High School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Melland High School 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 Melland High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 5 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 Melland High School?
Melland High School is at Gorton Education Village, Gorton, Greater Manchester, M18 7DT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)