St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale, Rochdale
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Rochdale. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 24th-highest of the 32 schools in Rochdale with published results, and 11,625th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Rochdale (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale in detail
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is with great pleasure that I welcome you and your child to St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School. At St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School we provide a safe, caring and loving environment where the development and well-being of each child has the greatest importance."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, athletics, swimming, cross-country, drama, choir and sewing.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale reached the expected standard in reading and 55% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Rochdale and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 66% in reading and 76% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
For September 2026 entry, 35 families put St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale as their first choice and 83 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale are Castleton Primary School (0.2 miles, Requires improvement, 74% reading, 84% maths); St Edward's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths); St John's Church of England Primary School, Thornham (0.9 miles, 81% reading, 63% maths); and Sandbrook Community Primary School (1 mile, 66% reading, 65% maths).
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Castleton Primary SchoolSt Edward's Church of England Primary SchoolSt John's Church of England Primary School, ThornhamSandbrook Community Primary School
Who goes there
13.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 31 pupils (15.7%) 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 Castleton (Manchester) Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mount Street (opposite), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale issued 11 suspensions, 5.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale are Matthew Moss High School (1.1 miles); St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy (1.5 miles); Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School (1.7 miles); and Newhouse Academy (1.8 miles).
Matthew Moss High SchoolSt Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary AcademyCardinal Langley Roman Catholic High SchoolNewhouse 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); 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 February 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Gabriel's creates a calm, friendly learning environment where pupils are genuinely excited about school. Teachers are highly skilled at identifying what pupils need to learn next and delivering high-quality lessons. The school goes beyond academics, offering wonderful enrichment experiences like theatre productions and sports competitions that help pupils develop their talents and build confidence.
Key Strengths
- Pupils display outstanding behaviour and extremely positive attitudes to learning with high attendance rates
- Reading is placed at the heart of the curriculum with systematic phonics teaching and most pupils becoming confident readers by end of Year 2
- Staff are well-trained and skilled at identifying pupil misconceptions and using assessment to shape future learning
- Effective systems for identifying and supporting pupils with SEND, with staff adapting curriculum skilfully
- Broad programme of trips, visits and enrichment activities including theatre productions and sports competitions
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, staff do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to revisit and recall prior learning, affecting knowledge building
- Pupils do not learn enough about different religions, limiting their preparation for life in modern Britain
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that prioritises pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Ocarina club, football club, school choir, theatre productions with local amateur dramatic society, sports competitions, breakfast and after-school club
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School in Rochdale is a good school where pupils come in with a smile and are proud of their success. The school provides a broad, balanced curriculum with strong emphasis on reading and excellent pupil behaviour.
At a Glance
13.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 66% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 76% to 55% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 66% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.1
Avg class size
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
25th September, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
25 Sep 2026
18th September, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
18 Sep 2026
8th May, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
8 May 2026
1st May, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
1 May 2026
24th April, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
24 Apr 2026
17th April, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
17 Apr 2026
From St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale.
- FUNDA Sports, Physical Activity Holiday Camps & ChildcareAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Rochdale's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale is in Rochdale; for families living there:
- Rochdale's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy
- How to apply: Apply for school travel expenses
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 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 Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
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What the report includes for St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale:
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- We hold no last distance offered figures from Rochdale, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Rochdale 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
93%
Near capacity
195 pupils
209 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rochdale
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochdale
Across Rochdale council
Places available
3,242
Applications
2,831
Got 1st preference
89.2%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across Rochdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
31
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
18.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
197
Total Pupils
102
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
17.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,733
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,645
Per pupil
£1212k
Total funding
£61k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
9.7%
Persistent absence
175
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 Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
Questions parents ask about St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale
What are SATs results like at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
Of the pupils at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 55% did so in maths.
What is St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale's Ofsted rating?
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
No fixed boundary. When St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale is oversubscribed, Rochdale allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 209 places.
How big are the classes at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
Classes at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale average 28.1 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 Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale has around 197 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
4.3% of sessions were missed at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale in 2024/25. 9.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
Apply through Rochdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale 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 Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: FUNDA Sports, Physical Activity Holiday Camps & Childcare (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Rochdale is 10 (the median across 106 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale?
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale is at Vicarage Road South, Castleton, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL11 2TN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)