Mesne Lea Primary School, Manchester

Ofsted's report card from its 21 April 2026 inspection grades Mesne Lea Primary School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have clear strategies in place to ensure pupils attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious for pupils."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children's wellbeing and welfare in the early years are supported through calm routines and caring relationships."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders place inclusion at the centre of the school's work."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are focused on providing a positive and successful educational experience for pupils."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The personal development and wellbeing programme is clearly woven into everyday school life."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Achievement is variable for pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff check pupils' understanding carefully so that misconceptions are identified and addressed quickly and accurately so that pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, achieve consistently well over time"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, continue to attend school regularly".

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Mesne Lea Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Salford and 77% and 75% across England.

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

For September 2026 entry, 48 families put Mesne Lea Primary School as their first choice and 103 named it as one of their preferences, for 57 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 Mesne Lea Primary School are Christ The King RC Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 96% reading, 100% maths); James Brindley Community Primary School (0.5 miles, 93% reading, 93% maths); St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 70% maths); and St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 84% reading, 87% maths).

Mesne Lea Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Mesne Lea Primary School is one of 10 schools run by Prestolee Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

11.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%) and Mixed (10%).

In 2026, 96 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 30 (6.8%) 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.

Mesne Lea Primary School has a resourced provision (8 places, 7 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit for autism.

The nearest railway station is Walkden Rail Station, about 480 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shaving Lane (near), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Mesne Lea Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Mesne Lea Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 2.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Mesne Lea Primary School are Co-op Academy Walkden (0.3 miles), The Lowry Academy (0.8 miles), Star Salford Academy (1.3 miles) and St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School (1.5 miles).