St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy, Manchester
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester, part of Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 41st-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 3,246th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- 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 Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy in detail
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy in its own words
In its own words: "On behalf of our whole school community may I offer you a very warm welcome to our wonderful school. We are a friendly and happy one form entry primary school in Gorton, East Manchester. As a Catholic School, we come together daily to celebrate our love of God and each other."
The school runs a breakfast club, from £2 per day.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 62 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy are All Saints Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 69% reading, 59% maths); St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths); St Brigid's RC Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 69% reading, 55% maths); and Armitage CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 80% maths).
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
All Saints Primary SchoolSt Barnabas CofE Primary AcademySt Brigid's RC Primary SchoolArmitage CofE Primary School
The trust
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is one of 38 schools run by Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
38.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 43.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (47%), White British (16%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 37 pupils (18.6%) received SEN support and 5 (2.5%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ashburys Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gardner Street (near), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy issued 12 suspensions, 5.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy are Co-op Academy Belle Vue (0.4 miles), The East Manchester Academy (0.6 miles), St Peter's RC High School (0.7 miles) and Dean Trust Ardwick (1 mile).
Co-op Academy Belle VueThe East Manchester AcademySt Peter's RC High SchoolDean Trust Ardwick
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in April 2024. Before that, as St Francis RC Primary School (URN 105529), it was rated Inadequate in March 2023.
At a Glance
38.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
20.3
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy for 2024 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
95%
Near capacity
199 pupils
210 places
11 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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
21.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
84
Boys
115
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,719
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,320
Per pupil
£1470k
Total funding
£112k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.2%
Overall absence
5.9%
Persistent absence
187
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 Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in April 2024. Before that, as St Francis RC Primary School (URN 105529), it was rated Inadequate in March 2023.
What is the catchment area for St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy 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 Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy average 24.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has around 199 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
3.2% of sessions were missed at St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 5.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy 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 St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Francis RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is at Ellenbrook Close, Gorton, Manchester, M12 5LZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)