Priestnall School, Stockport

Ofsted's report card from its 22 September 2026 inspection grades Priestnall School on 6 areas: 5 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Benefitting from a culture of high expectations and their own quiet diligence, pupils are incredibly well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training when they leave the school."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Drawing on a wealth of expertise, trust and school leaders work closely together to ensure that each subject curriculum is ambitious and meticulously designed."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Since the school joined the trust, leaders have refined their approach to inclusion to ensure that all pupils can succeed."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "The extent to which the school has improved since it joined the trust is noteworthy."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have carefully crafted a programme of personal development that furnishes pupils with the knowledge, skills and experiences to become confident and compassionate citizens."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have prioritised increasing pupils' attendance."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to refine their strategies to reduce pupils' absences, including for those disadvantaged pupils with the largest barriers to attendance, so that these pupils benefit fully from all that the school has to offer".

In its own words: "Priestnall School is an 11-16 secondary school serving the local community and part of the Laurus Trust family. Our vision is for every student, regardless of background or circumstance, to acquire the knowledge and develop the qualities that will open the door to the future of their choice. Learning is at the heart of school life."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, tennis, basketball, badminton and dance.

In 2026, pupils at Priestnall School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 55.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 49.1 in Stockport and 47 across England.

68% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 51% in Stockport and 47% in England.

That is up from 52.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.4: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.7, against 58.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 18.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 311 families put Priestnall School as their first choice and 521 named it as one of their preferences, for 252 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 64 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Priestnall School are Burnage Academy for Boys (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51.9); The Barlow RC High School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2); Parrs Wood High School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); and St Anne's RC Voluntary Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.4).

Priestnall School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Priestnall School is one of 13 schools run by The Laurus Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 54.6 in 2024/25.

Of the 250 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

13.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 11.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%), Asian (9%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 260 pupils (19.8%) received SEN support and 87 (6.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Priestnall School has a resourced provision: 30 places, 30 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Burnage Rail Station, about 1110 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fylde Road (opposite), 320 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Priestnall 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, Priestnall School issued 179 suspensions, 13.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Priestnall School are Tithe Barn Primary School (0.2 miles); St John's Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); Didsbury Road Primary School (0.4 miles); and St Winifred's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.