St Catherine's RC Primary School, Manchester
St Catherine's RC 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 November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 169th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 9,801st of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than 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
St Catherine's RC Primary School in detail
St Catherine's RC Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cross-country, drama, choir and cheerleading.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Coming up: an admissions event on Friday 13 November 2026, an open day on Friday 13 November 2026, an admissions event on Thursday 26 November 2026 and an open day on Thursday 26 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Manchester
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at St Catherine's RC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (72% in reading, 76% in maths).
Getting a place at St Catherine's RC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 52 families put St Catherine's RC Primary School as their first choice and 135 named it as one of their preferences, for 52 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Catherine's RC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Catherine's RC Primary School are Beaver Road Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 82% maths); Didsbury CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 96% reading, 92% maths); St John's Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); and St Cuthbert's RC Primary School and Nursery, A Voluntary Academy (0.9 miles).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Catherine's RC Primary School.
Beaver Road Primary SchoolDidsbury CofE Primary SchoolSt John's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Cuthbert's RC Primary School and Nursery, A Voluntary Academy
Who goes there
11.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (59%), Mixed (11%) and Asian (7%).
In 2026, 45 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 15 (3.5%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Staffing
St Catherine's RC Primary School had 25 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Didsbury Village (Manchester Metrolink), about 390 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kingsfield Drive (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Catherine's RC Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Catherine's RC Primary School are The Barlow RC High School (0.1 miles), Parrs Wood High School (0.6 miles), Priestnall School (1 mile) and Burnage Academy for Boys (1.1 miles).
The Barlow RC High SchoolParrs Wood High SchoolPriestnall SchoolBurnage Academy for Boys
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Catherine's is a caring school where pupils feel happy and supported. The school excels at teaching reading through expert phonics instruction and strong partnerships with parents. All pupils, including those with additional needs, are given high expectations and achieve well because staff know them exceptionally well.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with effective phonics teaching and parental support
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum that includes careful consideration for pupils with SEND
- Pupils show excellent behaviour and respect, with high expectations being met
- Staff know pupils exceptionally well and provide effective support for additional needs
- Pupils benefit from enriching activities and opportunities to develop talents and interests
Areas for Improvement
- In one or two subjects, staff are not fully trained to implement the revised curriculum as intended, preventing some pupils from developing deep subject knowledge
- Some subjects do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to revisit and embed essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary into long-term memory
- Inconsistent assessment systems in recently revised curriculum areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Cultural exchange visits to Spain, peripatetic music lessons, African drumming, school choir, school ambassadors, school councillors, charity fundraising
St Catherine's RC Primary School is a good primary school in Manchester where pupils enjoy learning and feel safe and cared for. The school has designed an ambitious curriculum and places strong emphasis on reading, with most pupils becoming fluent readers.
At a Glance
11.3%
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 improved from 72% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 76% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
27.7
Infant (KS1)
27.9
KS2
14
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 St Catherine's RC Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Catherine's RC Primary School.
- PSCL - St Catherine's RC Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
- Inspire Academy860m away · Not yet graded
- The Club940m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Catherine's RC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Catherine's RC 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
1 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 St Catherine's RC Primary School
Will you get a place at St Catherine's RC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Catherine's RC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Catherine's RC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Catherine's RC 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 St Catherine's RC 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
90%
Near capacity
379 pupils
420 places
41 spare places 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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
45
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
14.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
426
Total Pupils
199
Boys
227
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,871
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,009
Per pupil
£2124k
Total funding
£59k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
9.1%
Persistent absence
342
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
St Catherine's RC Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Catherine's RC Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Catherine's RC Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Catherine's RC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is St Catherine's RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Catherine's RC Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2009 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Catherine's RC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Catherine's RC 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 St Catherine's RC Primary School?
St Catherine's RC Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St Catherine's RC Primary School?
Classes at St Catherine's RC Primary School average 24.9 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 St Catherine's RC Primary School?
St Catherine's RC Primary School has around 426 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Catherine's RC Primary School?
4% of sessions were missed at St Catherine's RC Primary School in 2024/25. 9.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Catherine's RC Primary School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming St Catherine's RC 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 St Catherine's RC Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: PSCL - St Catherine's RC Primary School (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Catherine's RC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 1 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 St Catherine's RC Primary School?
St Catherine's RC Primary School is at School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6HS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)