Plymouth Grove Primary School, Ardwick
Plymouth Grove Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Ardwick. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 52nd-highest of the 129 schools in Manchester with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 83% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Plymouth Grove Primary School in detail
Plymouth Grove Primary School in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Plymouth Grove 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 fell from 78% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Plymouth Grove Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put Plymouth Grove Primary School as their first choice and 76 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Plymouth Grove Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Plymouth Grove Primary School are St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester (0.2 miles, Good, 73% reading, 80% maths); St Luke's CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 60% reading, 68% maths); St John's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 83% maths); and St Chrysostom's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 85% reading, 89% maths).
Plymouth Grove Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Joseph's RC Primary School ManchesterSt Luke's CofE Primary SchoolSt John's CofE Primary SchoolSt Chrysostom's CofE Primary School
Who goes there
72% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 65.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (44%), other ethnic groups (23%) and Black (20%).
In 2026, 60 pupils (17.3%) received SEN support and 22 (6.3%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ardwick Rail Station, about 1120 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Joseph's Church (outside), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Plymouth Grove 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, Plymouth Grove Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 0.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Plymouth Grove Primary School are Dean Trust Ardwick (0.1 miles), St Peter's RC High School (0.8 miles), Manchester Academy (1 mile) and Trinity CofE High School (1.2 miles).
Dean Trust ArdwickSt Peter's RC High SchoolManchester AcademyTrinity CofE High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from November 2011, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2011 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
72.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 63% to 56% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.1
Avg class size
23.6
Infant (KS1)
25.8
KS2
15
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Plymouth Grove Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Plymouth Grove Primary School.
- LSC @ St Chrysostom's Primary590m away · Not yet graded
- A6 Young People's Centre920m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Plymouth Grove Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Plymouth Grove 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
- 33
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 15 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School
Will you get a place at Plymouth Grove Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Plymouth Grove Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Plymouth Grove Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Plymouth Grove 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School for 2014 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
83%
Available places
350 pupils
420 places
70 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ardwick
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ardwick
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
60
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
23.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
347
Total Pupils
158
Boys
189
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,736
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,506
Per pupil
£2742k
Total funding
£330k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
19.5%
Persistent absence
344
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
Plymouth Grove Primary School
Questions parents ask about Plymouth Grove Primary School
What are SATs results like at Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Of the pupils at Plymouth Grove Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Plymouth Grove Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Plymouth Grove Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Plymouth Grove Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Plymouth Grove 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Plymouth Grove Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 83% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Classes at Plymouth Grove Primary School average 23.1 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Plymouth Grove Primary School has around 347 pupils on roll. 72% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Plymouth Grove Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Plymouth Grove Primary School in 2024/25. 19.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Plymouth Grove 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Plymouth Grove Primary School: LSC @ St Chrysostom's Primary (590m away, registered, not yet graded) and A6 Young People's Centre (920m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 15 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Plymouth Grove Primary School?
Plymouth Grove Primary School is at Plymouth Grove West, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Ardwick, M13 0AQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)