Stretford High School, Manchester
Stretford High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Manchester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 36th-highest of the 62 schools in Manchester with published results, and 1,549th of 3,298 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Trafford (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Stretford High School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Stretford High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 58.2 in Trafford and 47 across England.
44% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 66% in Trafford and 47% in England.
That is up from 44.4 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.07: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 42.3, against 49.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.5 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Physics and Chemistry.
Getting a place at Stretford High School
For September 2026 entry, 176 families put Stretford High School as their first choice and 464 named it as one of their preferences, for 196 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 25 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Stretford High School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Stretford High School are Stretford Grammar School (1 mile, Good, selective, Attainment 8 75.5); Eton Academy (1 mile); AldridgeUTC@MediaCityUK (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39); and Oasis Academy MediaCityUK (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.8).
Stretford High School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Stretford Grammar SchoolEton AcademyAldridgeUTC@MediaCityUKOasis Academy MediaCityUK
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Stretford High School (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 182 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 35% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Who goes there
46% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 47.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (48%), White British (15%) and Mixed (13%).
Staffing
Stretford High School had 75 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Old Trafford (Manchester Metrolink), about 570 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Greatstone Road (near), 180 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Stretford High School issued 93 suspensions, 9.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Stretford High School are Gorse Hill Primary School (0.2 miles), St Teresa's RC Primary School (0.6 miles), Kings Road Primary School (0.6 miles) and Victoria Park Junior School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Gorse Hill Primary SchoolSt Teresa's RC Primary SchoolKings Road Primary SchoolVictoria Park Junior School
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 destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2019, 6 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Stretford High School excels at making every pupil feel valued and included, celebrating the diversity of its community. Teachers are knowledgeable and explain concepts clearly, with the school providing excellent support for vulnerable pupils and those needing help with reading. The school goes beyond academics to develop well-rounded young people through its CARE programme, careers education, and activities covering everything from first aid to international issues.
Key Strengths
- Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging and are proud of the school's diversity, with celebrations of different cultures and faiths
- Broad and ambitious curriculum with high expectations, including strong careers education woven throughout
- Excellent support for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND, including dedicated help with reading and 'the hub' provision
- Calm, orderly atmosphere with polite and respectful behaviour throughout the school
- Comprehensive personal development programme (CARE and 'everything else' programmes) covering well-being, resilience and life skills
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers do not consistently check that pupils understand and remember their learning before moving on to new content
- This occasionally results in pupils developing misconceptions or gaps in knowledge that are not swiftly addressed
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
'CARE' programme activities, 'everything else' programme covering first aid and financial planning, careers programme, student council, community ambassadors, 'the power of you' cultural celebration days
Stretford High School has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection. The school prioritises both academic success and pupils' personal development, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated.
About
Stretford High School is a mixed, non-selective secondary school in Stretford, in the borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It teaches pupils aged 11 to 16 and opened in 1990.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
46.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.20 to 0.07 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 46.3 to 46.5 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 44% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 46.5 | 43.9% |
| Disadvantaged(81) | - | 42.3 | 33.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(106) | - | 49.8 | 51.9% |
| Boys(103) | - | 46.5 | 43.7% |
| Girls(84) | - | 46.6 | 44% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(98) | - | 49.4 | 50% |
| Non mobile(183) | - | 47.0 | 44.8% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 2 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 182 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
4
Permanent exclusions
0.41%
Exclusion rate
93
Suspensions
9.50%
Suspension rate
69 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 979 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Stretford High School
Term dates
Stretford High School is a foundation school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Trafford's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Stretford High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Stretford High School is in Trafford; for families living there:
Apply to Trafford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 25 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 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 Stretford High School
Will you get a place at Stretford High School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Stretford High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Stretford High School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Stretford High School.
- Trafford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Stretford High School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Stretford High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Trafford 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
976 pupils
1,026 places
50 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 Trafford council
Places available
3,679
Applications
3,221
Got 1st preference
81.0%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Trafford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(13)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
174
SEN Support
49
EHC Plans
22.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,000
Total Pupils
567
Boys
433
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
75
Teachers
13.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,537
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,666
Per pupil
£8104k
Total funding
£439k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.4%
Overall absence
29.7%
Persistent absence
1,001
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Stretford High School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Stretford High School
What are GCSE results like at Stretford High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Stretford High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 46.5. 44% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Stretford High School's Ofsted rating?
Stretford High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Stretford High School?
No fixed boundary. When Stretford High School is oversubscribed, Trafford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Stretford High School?
Stretford High School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Stretford High School?
Classes at Stretford High School average 24.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Stretford High School?
Stretford High School has around 1000 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Stretford High School?
9.4% of sessions were missed at Stretford High School in 2024/25. 29.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Stretford High School?
Apply through Trafford's coordinated admissions process, naming Stretford High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Stretford High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 25 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Stretford High School?
Stretford High School is at Great Stone Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 0XA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)