St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington, Manchester
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2021. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 95th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2021)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington in detail
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington in its own words
In its own words: "At St Michael's Church of England Primary School, we recognise the important role that each child has as a valued citizen within our multi-cultural British society and as a Global citizen. We see that we play a key role in developing our children as good citizens now and in preparing them to be good citizens in their future lives."
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Saint Michael's Church Of England Primary School we provide a strong and caring Christian framework that supports the whole life of the school. Through an engaging and exciting curriculum we develop every child to achieve their potential. We believe in developing Christian values through our ethos and atmosphere."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Rochdale and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington are St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, Rochdale (0.2 miles, Good, 78% reading, 64% maths); Alkrington Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 82% reading, 84% maths); Crosslee Community Primary School (0.4 miles, 57% reading, 71% maths); and St John Bosco RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles).
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, RochdaleAlkrington Primary SchoolCrosslee Community Primary SchoolSt John Bosco RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
What parents say
55 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington (as of September 2025): 84% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
7.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%), Asian (5%) and Mixed (5%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Moston Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Upton Close (near), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington issued 3 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington are Co-op Academy North Manchester (0.6 miles), Our Lady's RC High School (1 mile), Dixons Middleton Academy (1.1 miles) and Co-op Academy Manchester (1.1 miles).
Co-op Academy North ManchesterOur Lady's RC High SchoolDixons Middleton AcademyCo-op Academy Manchester
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Michael's is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive. The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with additional needs, and provides a rich curriculum with plenty of experiences beyond the classroom. Staff are dedicated to supporting each child's academic and personal development.
Key Strengths
- Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning and behave well in lessons and around school
- Strong focus on reading with high-quality books, phonics training, and library links
- Pupils with SEND are quickly identified and well supported to access the same curriculum as their peers
- Wide range of enrichment activities including clubs, trips, visits, and residential experiences
- Caring staff who support pupils academically and socially
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils have gaps in prior knowledge in subjects where the curriculum was recently changed, making it hard to connect new learning
- Teaching is not always consistent - staff don't always adapt activities enough to help all pupils learn as well as they could
- Governors need clearer, more detailed information to properly oversee the school's work and hold it accountable
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Art club, culture club, music club, sports clubs, gardening club, baking club, well-being club, before- and after-school club, trips to fire station and museums, residential trips with outdoor and team-building activities
St Michael's Church of England Primary School in Alkrington has improved from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating and is now judged as Good across all areas. Pupils settle in quickly, feel happy, and benefit from high expectations and a broad, balanced curriculum.
At a Glance
7.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
55 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 75% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.5
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.8
KS2
6
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington.
- Progressive Sports550m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington 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
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
Will you get a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Rochdale, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington 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
97%
Near capacity
204 pupils
210 places
6 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 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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
25
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
16.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
205
Total Pupils
104
Boys
101
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,223
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,145
Per pupil
£1143k
Total funding
£17k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
9.0%
Persistent absence
188
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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
Questions parents ask about St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington
What are SATs results like at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
Of the pupils at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington's Ofsted rating?
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2021, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
No fixed boundary. When St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
Classes at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington average 30.5 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington has around 205 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
4.5% of sessions were missed at St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington in 2024/25. 9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
Apply through Rochdale's coordinated admissions process, naming St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington: Progressive Sports (550m away, 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 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 Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington?
St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington is at Boardman Fold Road, Alkrington, Manchester, M24 1GD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)