Mersey Drive Community Primary School, Manchester

Good
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~340m)Possible (~486m)Unlikely (~632m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Miss Angela Ridley
Pupils:203 / 236 capacity
LA:Bury
Phone:01617666298
Address:Mersey Drive, Whitefield, Manchester, M45 8LN
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:105299
UKPRN:10070103
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bury South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Mersey Drive is a warm, inclusive school where pupils are happy and thrive academically. The headteacher and staff work together to ensure high standards of teaching and learning in a positive environment where all children - including those with special needs - feel safe and supported. The school goes beyond academics by offering enriching activities, community involvement through the eco council, and visits from local religious leaders to help pupils understand and respect different cultures.

Key Strengths

  • Strong leadership team with a clear vision and commitment to continuous improvement through quality professional development
  • Good quality teaching and learning with high expectations for all pupils, resulting in consistently good progress in reading, writing and mathematics
  • Excellent safeguarding arrangements with thorough policies, detailed record-keeping, and well-trained staff who understand modern child protection risks
  • Inclusive school environment with effective specialist provision (Arches and Bridges) for pupils with autism and communication difficulties
  • Strong community links and enrichment activities that broaden pupils' understanding and enhance their appreciation of different cultures and faiths

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing quality in history, geography and science needs to match the standard achieved in English lessons
  • School website should provide detailed information about governors, their organisation, and how they support and challenge school leaders

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is effective with appropriate policies, thorough arrangements for pupil care and protection, detailed record-keeping, and well-trained staff who understand modern risks including radicalisation and online safety.

Extracurricular Activities

Eco student council with community projects (tree planting in Boz Park, fundraising for charities), equality and diversity week, gifted and talented cluster activities, able writers and debating days, specialist teaching from Castlebrook High School

Mersey Drive Community Primary School continues to be a good school with strong leadership that maintains educational quality. The school is committed to the motto 'Enjoy learning; aim high' and provides pupils with well-planned learning opportunities across a range of subjects.

At a Glance

44.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-14ppMaths-5ppWriting+7pp

Reading has declined from 76% to 62%. Maths has declined from 55% to 50%. Writing has improved from 62% to 69%.

Class Sizes

21.8

Avg class size

25.3

Infant (KS1)

21.5

KS2

9

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Harris Drive (opp)
184m · 3 min walk
Calder Crescent (nr)
288m · 5 min walk
Bradley Drive (nr)
343m · 6 min walk
Kennedy Drive (nr)
380m · 6 min walk
Sunny Bank Road (opp)
420m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

86%

Available places

203 pupils

236 capacity

33 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 - Bury

Low demand0.82x oversubscription

Places available

2,316

Applications

1,908

Got 1st preference

95.0%

Got preferred school

99.0%

Primary admissions across Bury (2025/26)

Inspection History(107)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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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

7.10241%

Overall absence

22.01258%

Persistent absence

159

Enrolments

Authorised5.49468%
Unauthorised1.60773%
Persistent (10%+)22.01258%
Severe (50%+)1.25786%

Absence trend

6.03092%
18/19
6.62625%
20/21
7.70349%
21/22
8.69081%
22/23
8.84776%
23/24
7.10241%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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