St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School, Manchester
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 GCSE results were the 44th-highest of the 68 schools in Manchester with published results. It was full in 2025, at 100% of capacity.
Data last updated 2 Oct 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Ambrose Barlow creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils are genuinely happy and behave exceptionally well. The school has excellent pastoral support and knows individual pupils deeply, particularly those with additional needs. Teachers are committed to development and the school offers a rich range of extra-curricular activities alongside a broad curriculum that prepares pupils well for their future.
Key Strengths
- Pupils love the school, show respect for staff and each other, with rare bullying and exemplary conduct
- Teachers know individual pupils well and provide strong support for those with special educational needs and disabilities
- Sixth form offers a rich curriculum with high-quality work experience and partnerships with local businesses
- Strong culture of raising aspirations supported through careers advice and external partnerships
- Broad extra-curricular programme including debating, mathematics challenges, science projects and enterprise activities
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching does not consistently challenge all pupils, especially the most able, who make slower progress than they should
- Disadvantaged pupils make slower progress in key subjects, particularly mathematics, and pupil premium funding is not spent effectively enough
- Teachers do not routinely follow marking policies, leaving pupils unclear about how to improve their work
- Leaders' monitoring of achievement lacks rigour and they cannot confirm if disadvantaged pupils are making better progress
- Support for pupils with low starting points in literacy and numeracy is insufficient and catch-up funding is not tracked for impact
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders taking immediate action to tackle any weaknesses identified.
Extracurricular Activities
Debating society, mathematics challenges, science projects linked to international space station, sporting activities, cultural activities, enterprise curriculum
St Ambrose Barlow RC High School requires improvement overall. While the school has created a caring, supportive environment where pupils are happy and behaviour is exemplary, progress for disadvantaged pupils and the most able is not strong enough, and leaders' monitoring systems lack the rigour needed to drive improvement.
About
St Ambrose Barlow Catholic High School was a mixed secondary school located in Netherton in the English county of Merseyside. The school was closed in Summer 2016.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
30.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School in detail
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I love coming to work here each day. Often it doesn't feel like work. We are a Catholic community of faith where it is a privilege to see our young people flourishing, to speak with them, to learn their ways and watch them grow in confidence. They are an inspiration."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, pupils at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.8 in Salford and 46.8 across England.
38% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in Salford and 46% in England.
That is down from 45.8 in 2024.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.23: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2025.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.8, against 48.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.4 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.
Source: DfE school performance data. Averages are across state mainstream schools.
Getting a place at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School
For September 2026 entry, 220 families put St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School as their first choice and 459 named it as one of their preferences, for 203 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 36 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
First-choice demand has risen from 166 in 2021 to 220 in 2026, while places went from 208 to 203.
Across Salford, 86% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 96% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2025, families in Salford lodged 281 appeals against secondary school offers; 204 reached a hearing and 16 succeeded (7.8% of those heard).
See every year of applications, offers and cut-offs
Source: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School are Co-op Academy Swinton (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.6); Moorside High School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8); Barton Moss Education Centre (1.1 miles); and Co-op Academy Walkden (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.6).
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Co-op Academy SwintonMoorside High SchoolBarton Moss Education CentreCo-op Academy Walkden
Where pupils go next
Of the 210 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2022/23, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 57% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Source: DfE destination measures
Who goes there
27.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (the average state school: 24.5%), and 19.5% speak English as an additional language (average: 18.5%), according to the 2025 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (63%), Black (11%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2025, 205 pupils (19.2%) received SEN support and 37 (3.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 15.6% and 3.9% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs. The school has resourced provision for pupils with particular needs.
Source: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics
Staff and funding
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School employed 121 teachers in 2024, roughly one for every 9 pupils. Their average salary was £44,105.
Its 2026 funding allocation works out at £8,230 per pupil (£9.3 million in total), including £316,050 of pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils.
Source: DfE school workforce census; ESFA funding allocations
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Moorside Rail Station, about 590 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Ambrose Barlow High School (outside), 60 metres away.
Source: NaPTAN (Department for Transport). Straight-line distances.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School stands in is among the 50% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school.
Source: English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2023/24, St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School issued 76 suspensions, 7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 2.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.
Source: DfE exclusions statistics
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School are Wardley CofE Primary School (0.4 miles), St Charles' RC Primary School (0.6 miles), Mossfield Primary School (0.7 miles) and St Peter's CofE Primary School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Wardley CofE Primary SchoolSt Charles' RC Primary SchoolMossfield Primary SchoolSt Peter's CofE Primary School
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2024/25GCSE Results
2024/25 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.38 to -0.23. Attainment 8 has remained stable at around 44%. GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 43% to 38%.
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 44.2 | 38% |
| Disadvantaged(44) | -0.67 | 36.8 | 22.7% |
| Disadvantaged(61) | -1.09 | 34.0 | 27.9% |
| Disadvantaged(52) | - | 38.2 | 28.8% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(163) | -0.12 | 48.2 | 49.1% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(153) | - | 46.3 | 41.2% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(149) | -0.09 | 48.7 | 49% |
| Boys(106) | -0.43 | 43.4 | 42.5% |
| Boys(114) | -0.16 | 47.1 | 45.6% |
| Boys(109) | - | 44.4 | 40.4% |
| Girls(104) | -0.32 | 45.5 | 43.3% |
| Girls(93) | -0.32 | 44.1 | 40.9% |
| Girls(96) | - | 44.0 | 35.4% |
Show more breakdowns (6)
| Known or believed to be other than English(35) | +0.52 | 52.1 | 51.4% |
| Known or believed to be other than English(30) | - | 54.4 | 53.3% |
| Known or believed to be other than English(38) | +0.90 | 54.4 | 65.8% |
| Non mobile(202) | -0.30 | 45.2 | 44.1% |
| Non mobile(198) | - | 44.2 | 38.4% |
| Non mobile(200) | -0.20 | 46.3 | 44% |
2024/25 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 4 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 210 students
202223 data
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 207 students
202122 data
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 201 students
202021 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
4
Permanent exclusions
0.37%
Exclusion rate
76
Suspensions
7.04%
Suspension rate
48 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,079 pupils
2023/24 academic year
Latest from St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School
School That Matters: Education Sunday
25 Sept 2026
We find ourselves at the end of the third week of the school term and it is tempting to define these weeks by what is new, what is different. If doing so, top of the list might well be the...
School That Matters: International Day of Peace
25 Sept 2026
At the end of each assembly this week Mr. Jordan issued a very simple challenge to the 200 or so pupils sitting on the benches in front of him: smile. There was more to this than might first appear....
School That Matters: Love, Learn, Lead
17 Jul 2026
Another school year comes to an end and the summer holidays loom. We can look back on a year of successes, achievements and experiences that are hard won. We can also look back on a year of growth...
School That Matters: Celebrating our Pupils
10 Jul 2026
Last week we celebrated the achievements of the pupils in Years 7-10 at our annual Awards Ceremony. We will do the same for the Year 11 leavers later in the year. Normally our ceremony takes place...
School That Matters: School of Sanctuary
3 Jul 2026
For the last two years we have been working towards being a School of Sanctuary (SoS). Last week we received our assessment visit and this week it was confirmed that we have been awarded SoS status....
School That Matters: Word Power
26 Jun 2026
We have hit the busy period. Duke of Edinburgh visits, transition for new Year 7, the Madrid trip and all sorts of sporting fixtures. In the last week pupils have competed in the Manchester...
From St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
1,078 pupils
1,050 capacity
28 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Manchester
Admissions Demand - Salford
Places available
2,774
Applications
2,789
Got 1st preference
85.9%
Got preferred school
96.4%
Secondary admissions across Salford (2026/27)
Inspection History(11)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
205
SEN Support
37
EHC Plans
22.7%
of Total Pupils
2025 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2025 academic year
Key Indicators
1,068
Total Pupils
540
Boys
528
Girls
2025 academic year
Workforce
121
Teachers
8.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,105
Mean salary
2024 data
School Funding
£8,230
Per pupil
£9257k
Total funding
£316k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.70378%
Overall absence
20.42629%
Persistent absence
1,126
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School
Wardley CofE Primary School
St Charles' RC Primary School
Mossfield Primary School
St Peter's CofE Primary School
Clifton Primary School
Moorside Primary School
Spindle Point Primary School
The Deans Primary School
St Paul's CofE Primary School
St Mark's RC Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School
What are GCSE results like at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 44.2. 38% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
Source: DfE school performance data
What is St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2022 it was rated Requires Improvement. An inspection judges the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
Source: Ofsted
What is the catchment area for St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School has no fixed catchment boundary. When the school is oversubscribed, Salford allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings already at the school, then home-to-school distance. Salford has not published a last-distance-offered figure for St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School that we have been able to verify, so the practical cut-off is best judged from the catchment estimate on this page and from the authority's own admissions booklet.
Is it hard to get a place at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria. How hard a place is to get in any given year depends on how many families apply, which moves around.
Source: DfE school capacity data
How big are the classes at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
Classes at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School average 22.9 pupils (2024/25).
Source: DfE class size data
How many pupils go to St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School has around 1068 pupils on roll. 27% are eligible for free school meals, which is the usual measure of disadvantage in a school's intake.
Source: DfE school census
What is attendance like at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
7.7% of sessions were missed at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School in 2024/25. 20.4% of pupils were persistently absent, meaning they missed at least 10% of sessions.
Source: DfE absence statistics
How do I apply to St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
Apply through Salford's coordinated admissions process, naming St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Where is St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School?
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School is at 37 Ash Drive, Wardley, Manchester, M27 9QP.
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