Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Manchester
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 85th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 5,775th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.7 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 107% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- 1.7 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in detail
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "At Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, we believe that a bright future starts with an excellent education. Our vision is to ignite a love of learning that enables every child to achieve their very best."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Please look at some pictures of Sacred Heart School. We hope it shows what a beautiful school we have for your children to learn, grow, make friends and become part of our Catholic community. We have drawn together some excellent support, guidance and links for parents/carers of children aged 3-5 years."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care until 4:30pm.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Sacred Heart Catholic 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 88% in reading and 91% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 50 families put Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 122 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.7 first choices for every place. 20 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School are Baguley Hall Primary School (0.2 miles, Requires improvement, 69% reading, 82% maths); Newall Green Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 66% reading, 59% maths); Broomwood Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 78% reading, 74% maths); and Sandilands Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 78% reading, 64% maths).
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Baguley Hall Primary SchoolNewall Green Primary SchoolBroomwood Primary SchoolSandilands Primary School
Who goes there
37.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (49%), Asian (25%) and Black (8%).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Baguley (Manchester Metrolink), about 120 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sacred Heart School (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sacred Heart Catholic 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, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School are Dixons Brooklands Academy (0.5 miles), Dixons Newall Green Academy (0.9 miles), Saint Paul's Catholic High School (1 mile) and Manchester Enterprise Academy (1.3 miles).
Dixons Brooklands AcademyDixons Newall Green AcademySaint Paul's Catholic High SchoolManchester Enterprise Academy
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
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 Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at creating a welcoming, joyful environment where all pupils - including those new to the country - settle quickly and thrive. The reading programme is particularly strong, with every child learning phonics from Reception onwards and reading with confidence. The school offers ambitious teaching across the full curriculum while maintaining exemplary behaviour and strong family support.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary behaviour around the school and in lessons with polite, courteous pupils
- Strong phonics programme with all pupils reading with confidence and full curriculum access
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that helps pupils connect new learning to prior knowledge
- Effective safeguarding arrangements with regular staff training and clear procedures
- Supportive school community where staff feel valued and families receive good support
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers do not encourage pupils to read a broad enough range of high-quality texts and genres
- Some pupils with SEND do not receive sufficient detailed information and guidance from leaders, affecting their progress
- Information provided to teachers about pupils with SEND is sometimes not detailed enough to help them learn effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with regular up-to-date staff training, clear procedures to identify and respond to concerns, and pupils taught how to keep themselves and friends safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, board games, sporting activities, Mini-Vinnies, eco-councillors, art gallery visits, theatre visits, performance opportunities
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils describe their experience as 'joyful' and attend well. The school has an ambitious curriculum and staff implement it skilfully, with a strong focus on reading and phonics.
At a Glance
28.7%
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 declined from 88% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 91% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 79% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
31.1
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
32.3
KS2
7
Total classes
5 classes 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 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sacred Heart Catholic 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 11 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sacred Heart Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Catholic 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
107%
Over capacity
221 pupils
207 places
14 pupils over capacity 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: 1.7 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
14.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
251
Total Pupils
122
Boys
129
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,286
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,919
Per pupil
£1480k
Total funding
£88k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
4.6%
Persistent absence
195
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
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sacred Heart Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School was full in 2025, at 107% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Classes at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School average 31.1 pupils (2025/26). 5 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School has around 251 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 4.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming Sacred Heart Catholic 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.
How many road collisions happen near Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 11 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is at Floatshall Road, Baguley, Manchester, M23 1HP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)