Old Moat Primary School, Manchester
Old Moat Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester, part of Changing Lives in Collaboration. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 95th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 80% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Old Moat Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Old Moat Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 66% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Old Moat Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 46 families put Old Moat Primary School as their first choice and 112 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Old Moat Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Old Moat Primary School are St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 76% maths); Cavendish Primary School (0.5 miles); St Kentigern's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles, 84% reading, 86% maths); and West Didsbury CE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 81% reading, 86% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Old Moat Primary School.
St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolCavendish Primary SchoolSt Kentigern's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyWest Didsbury CE Primary School
The trust
Old Moat 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.
Who goes there
62.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 67.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (35%), other ethnic groups (31%) and White British (13%).
In 2026, 57 pupils (14.7%) received SEN support and 52 (13.4%) 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.
Old Moat Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Old Moat Primary School had 22 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Burton Road (Manchester Metrolink), about 710 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whitchurch Road (se-bound), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Old Moat Primary 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, Old Moat Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Old Moat Primary School are Whalley Range 11-18 High School (0.7 miles), Didsbury High School (0.7 miles), William Hulme's Grammar School (0.9 miles) and CHS South (0.9 miles).
Whalley Range 11-18 High SchoolDidsbury High SchoolWilliam Hulme's Grammar SchoolCHS South
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils flourish at this school. They leave at the end of Year 6 as well-rounded and thoughtful individuals. Pupils relish the many opportunities that they have to bring about the changes that they want to see. For example, pupils who act as 'green heroes' raise money to buy saplings and seeds to grow fruit and vegetables. They play a pivotal role in educating others about healthy eating and active lifestyles.
Children in the early years settle seamlessly into the school's highly effective routines for learning. Pupils who find it more challenging to manage their own behaviour are supported with sensitivity and understanding. A calm and purposeful atmosphere pervades the school.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has worked hand in hand with leaders from the trust to design a rich and engaging curriculum from the early years to Year 6. It has meticulously identified the key knowledge that it wants pupils to know in each subject. Pupils develop a rich body of subject knowledge as a result.
The trust's motto, 'together we make the difference', sits at the heart of all that the school does. Staff's professional development is a top priority. Subject leaders engage with up-to-date educational research and display considerable subject expertise. They use their knowledge to provide staff with curriculum materials of an exceptional quality. Staff value joining forces with colleagues from other schools in the trust to hone their practice. They are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
62.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 66% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.0
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
25.3
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Old Moat Primary School
Before and after school care
Old Moat Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Manchester
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Old Moat Primary School.
- Kidszone Out Of School Care730m away · Not yet graded
- Kickstart Childcare (St Kentigern's)810m away · Not yet graded
- Activate Camps @ Withington Girls' School920m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Old Moat Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Old Moat Primary 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
- 21
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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
Your chances of a place at Old Moat Primary School
Will you get a place at Old Moat Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Old Moat Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Old Moat Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Old Moat Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Old Moat Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Manchester got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
335 pupils
420 places
85 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
57
SEN Support
52
EHC Plans
28.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Old Moat Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
387
Total Pupils
212
Boys
175
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
17.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,440
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,380
Per pupil
£2463k
Total funding
£295k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
324
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Old Moat Primary School
What are SATs results like at Old Moat Primary School?
Of the pupils at Old Moat Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Old Moat Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Old Moat Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Old Moat Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Old Moat Primary School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Old Moat Primary School?
Old Moat Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Old Moat Primary School?
Classes at Old Moat Primary School average 24 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Old Moat Primary School?
Old Moat Primary School has around 387 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Old Moat Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Old Moat Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Old Moat Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Old Moat Primary School in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Old Moat Primary School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Old Moat Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Old Moat Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Old Moat Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Old Moat Primary School: Kidszone Out Of School Care (730m away, registered, not yet graded), Kickstart Childcare (St Kentigern's) (810m away, registered, not yet graded) and Activate Camps @ Withington Girls' School (920m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Old Moat Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Old Moat Primary School?
Old Moat Primary School is at Old Moat Lane, Withington, Manchester, M20 3FN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)