Rayner Stephens High School, Dukinfield

Ofsted's report card from its 21 April 2026 inspection grades Rayner Stephens High School on 6 areas: 4 expected standard and 2 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. "Historically, attendance rates have been below the national average."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders identify pupils' individual barriers to learning effectively, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known or previously known to social care."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Trustees, governors, leaders and staff all understand the school well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a comprehensive programme of personal development that covers important information that pupils need in their lives."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' results in national examinations at the end of key stage 4 are too low."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers do not use assessment effectively to close gaps in pupils' knowledge."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that high-quality teaching is embedded across the school so that pupils progress through the curriculum and achieve well at the end of key stage 4"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment to effectively close gaps in pupils' knowledge"; "Leaders should continue to promote the importance of attendance so that recent improvements in pupils' attendance rates are sustained".

In its own words: "We are an aspirational and inclusive community which inspires and empowers everyone. We encourage a curiosity for learning which develops character and maximises academic opportunity."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a school at the heart of our community, with our school name honouring one of Dukinfield’s heroes. Our school is a warm and caring community for all students. We celebrate all of our students' achievements and believe strongly in providing an environment where all young people are able to thrive."

Coming up: an admissions event on Saturday 31 October 2026, an open evening on Tuesday 11 May 2027 and an open day on Wednesday 30 June 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Rayner Stephens High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.4 in Tameside and 47 across England.

23% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Tameside and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 35.6.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.03: pupils made well below 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 32.2, against 39.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 131 families put Rayner Stephens High School as their first choice and 320 named it as one of their preferences, for 161 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Rayner Stephens High School are All Saints Catholic College (0.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.5); Hyde High School (0.8 miles, Attainment 8 39.8); West Hill School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); and Dixons Pennine Academy (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Rayner Stephens High School.

Rayner Stephens High School is one of 4 schools run by Stamford Park Trust, an academy trust.

18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rayner Stephens High School (as of April 2026): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).

Of the 124 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 72% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 43% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 7% into work.

47.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Flowery Field Rail Station, about 1050 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rayner Stephens High School (outside), 70 metres away.

In 2024/25, Rayner Stephens High School issued 368 suspensions, 58.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Rayner Stephens High School are Yew Tree Primary School (under 0.1 miles); St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.2 miles); Oakfield Primary and Moderate Learning Difficulties Resource Provision (0.4 miles); and Bradley Green Primary Academy (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.