St Paul's CofE Primary School, Manchester
St Paul's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. 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 80% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- 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 Salford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Paul's CofE Primary School in detail
St Paul's CofE Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my privilege to welcome you and your family to St. Paul's Church of England (VC) Primary School and an honour to serve as the Headteacher. Our school is a place of fun, laughter, learning and an overarching desire to succeed."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at St Paul's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Salford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 95% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Paul's CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put St Paul's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 31 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 Paul's CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Paul's CofE Primary School are Christ The King RC Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 96% reading, 100% maths); St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 63% reading, 70% maths); Mesne Lea Primary School (0.7 miles, 78% reading, 69% maths); and North Walkden Primary School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, 52% reading, 62% maths).
St Paul's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Christ The King RC Primary SchoolSt Paul's CofE Primary SchoolMesne Lea Primary SchoolNorth Walkden Primary School
What parents say
18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Paul's CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
37.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 47% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (42%), Black (26%) and Mixed (10%).
In 2026, 83 pupils (23.4%) received SEN support and 11 (3.1%) 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 Walkden Rail Station, about 660 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Heathside Grove (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Paul's CofE Primary School 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 Paul's CofE Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Paul's CofE Primary School are The Lowry Academy (0.7 miles), Co-op Academy Walkden (0.9 miles), Kearsley Academy (0.9 miles) and Star Salford Academy (1 mile).
The Lowry AcademyCo-op Academy WalkdenKearsley AcademyStar Salford Academy
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 agoThis judgement is from July 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Paul's is a warm, inclusive school where your child will be happy and feel valued. Teachers are well-trained and use strong subject knowledge to teach engaging lessons, particularly in reading where pupils develop a genuine love of books. Your child will have excellent role models among older pupils and plenty of opportunities to develop their talents through clubs, trips and taking on real responsibilities in school life.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attitudes - pupils are polite, kind and set excellent examples for younger children
- Outstanding personal development with pupils taking on meaningful responsibilities and contributing to their community
- High-quality teaching of phonics that develops confident, fluent readers and a love of reading
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced with clear progression
- Strong support for pupils with SEND who are integrated well into learning alongside their peers
Areas for Improvement
- In a small number of subjects, teachers don't effectively check what pupils remember over time, leaving gaps in learning that make it harder for pupils to progress
- Need to identify and address learning gaps in some subjects so pupils are ready for new learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Wide range of clubs, residential trips, adventurous trips, pupil governor roles, anti-bullying ambassador roles, eco-warrior roles, fundraising events
St Paul's CofE Primary School is a happy, vibrant school where pupils thrive and feel safe, with high expectations for achievement and a carefully designed ambitious curriculum. The school maintains outstanding behaviour and personal development alongside good quality education.
At a Glance
37.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
18 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 declined from 95% to 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.0
Avg class size
21.5
Infant (KS1)
26.6
KS2
13
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Paul's CofE Primary School
Season Events Autumn 1
4 Sep 2026
New School Year 2026-2027
30 Aug 2026
Culture and Diversity Day
10 Jul 2026
Salfod Summer Holidays
3 Jul 2026
Beat The Heat By Staying Safe
22 Jun 2026
Water Safety
19 Jun 2026
From St Paul's CofE Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Paul's CofE Primary School
Term dates
St Paul's CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Salford. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 2 April 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 19 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Wednesday 26 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Paul's CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Paul's CofE Primary School is in Salford; for families living there:
- Salford's school travel policy: Salford home to school transport policy 2026 (Adobe PDF format, 156kb)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 13 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 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 Paul's CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Paul's CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Paul's CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Paul's CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Paul's CofE Primary School.
- Salford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Paul's CofE Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Paul's CofE Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Salford 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
80%
Available places
337 pupils
420 places
83 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 Salford council
Places available
3,266
Applications
2,753
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All primary applications across Salford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
83
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
26.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
355
Total Pupils
194
Boys
161
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,394
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,056
Per pupil
£2366k
Total funding
£212k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
12.0%
Persistent absence
341
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 Paul's CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Paul's CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Paul's CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Paul's CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St Paul's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Paul's CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Paul's CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Paul's CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Salford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Paul's CofE Primary School?
St Paul's CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St Paul's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Paul's CofE Primary School average 25 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Paul's CofE Primary School?
St Paul's CofE Primary School has around 355 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Paul's CofE Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Paul's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 12% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Paul's CofE Primary School?
Apply through Salford's coordinated admissions process, naming St Paul's CofE 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.
What are St Paul's CofE Primary School's term dates?
St Paul's CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Salford. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Friday 2 April 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 19 April to Thursday 22 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Wednesday 26 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near St Paul's CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 13 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Paul's CofE Primary School?
St Paul's CofE Primary School is at Heathside Grove, Walkden, Manchester, M28 3NZ.
Sources: Salford term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)