North Ridge High School, Manchester
North Ridge High School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Manchester. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
North Ridge High School in detail
North Ridge High School in its own words
In its own words: "At North Ridge pupils come first and our priority is to provide high quality teaching and learning whilst at the same time providing truly enjoyable learning experiences for our community of pupils. Everything we do as a school is to ensure that the pupils achieve their very best."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football and dance.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to North Ridge High School are Meade Hill School (0.1 miles); Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); Camberwell Park Specialist Support School (1.8 miles); and Manchester Jewish School for Special Education (1.9 miles, Good).
Meade Hill SchoolProspect House Specialist Support Primary SchoolCamberwell Park Specialist Support SchoolManchester Jewish School for Special Education
Where pupils go next
Of the 32 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 97% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 3% to a further education college.
Who goes there
70.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 26.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (34%), Asian (24%) and Mixed (18%).
Almost every pupil at North Ridge High School has an education, health and care plan (207 of 207 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
North Ridge High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Bowker Vale (Manchester Metrolink), about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cooper Lane (ne-bound), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood North Ridge 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
In 2024/25, North Ridge High School issued 7 suspensions, 3.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 April 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 Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its April 2014 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
70.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with North Ridge High School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to North Ridge High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. North Ridge 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
1 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
103%
Over capacity
207 pupils
200 places
7 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
207
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
North Ridge High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
207
Total Pupils
142
Boys
65
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
10.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,558
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.6%
Overall absence
32.6%
Persistent absence
132
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
North Ridge High School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about North Ridge High School
What is North Ridge High School's Ofsted rating?
North Ridge High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for North Ridge High School?
No fixed boundary. When North Ridge High School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to North Ridge High School?
North Ridge High School has around 207 pupils on roll. 71% are eligible for free school meals.
Does North Ridge High School have specialist SEN provision?
North Ridge High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at North Ridge High School?
11.6% of sessions were missed at North Ridge High School in 2024/25. 32.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to North Ridge High School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming North Ridge 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 North Ridge High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 1 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 North Ridge High School?
North Ridge High School is at Alworth Road, Manchester, M9 0RP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)