The Barlow RC High School, Manchester
The Barlow RC High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 18th-highest of the 62 schools in Manchester with published results, and 1,084th of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Barlow RC High School in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at The Barlow RC High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.3 in Manchester and 47 across England.
50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Manchester and 47% in England.
That is in line with 2025, when the score was 49.8.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.12: pupils made above 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, against 54.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.6 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.
Getting a place at The Barlow RC High School
For September 2026 entry, 155 families put The Barlow RC High School as their first choice and 584 named it as one of their preferences, for 169 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 13 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Barlow RC High School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to The Barlow RC High School are Parrs Wood High School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); Priestnall School (0.9 miles, Attainment 8 55.8); Burnage Academy for Boys (1.1 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51.9); and Didsbury High School (1.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57.8).
The Barlow RC High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Parrs Wood High SchoolPriestnall SchoolBurnage Academy for BoysDidsbury High School
Where pupils go next
Of the 170 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 22% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.
Who goes there
39.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 71 pupils (7.6%) received SEN support and 82 (8.8%) 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.
The Barlow RC High School has a resourced provision for autism: 20 places, 20 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is East Didsbury (Manchester Metrolink), about 370 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barlow High School (outside), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Barlow RC High School issued 94 suspensions, 10.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to The Barlow RC High School are St Catherine's RC Primary School (0.1 miles), Beaver Road Primary School (0.4 miles), Didsbury CofE Primary School (0.4 miles) and St John's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Catherine's RC Primary SchoolBeaver Road Primary SchoolDidsbury CofE Primary SchoolSt John's Church of England Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a welcoming school where pupils' differences are celebrated. Pupils and staff are accepting of everyone. Parents and carers said that the school is a family where there are lots of opportunities for their children to grow.
The school is ambitious for all pupils. Most pupils learn effectively from a broad, rich curriculum. This ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), typically achieve well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has made considerable staffing changes since the previous inspection. These include changes to leadership, and pastoral and SEND staffing to better support pupils' increasingly diverse needs. Leaders at all levels, including the governing body, have an accurate knowledge about what the school is doing well and the areas for improvement.
The school has successfully fostered a culture of high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2019 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
About
The Barlow RC High School is a comprehensive school in Didsbury, Manchester, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
39.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.19 to 0.12 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 46.5 to 49.2 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 46% to 50% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 49.2 | 49.7% |
| Disadvantaged(73) | - | 42.0 | 31.5% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(98) | - | 54.6 | 63.3% |
| Boys(94) | - | 49.1 | 51.1% |
| Girls(77) | - | 49.4 | 48.1% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(26) | - | 53.9 | 57.7% |
| Non mobile(160) | - | 49.3 | 48.8% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 5 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 170 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
3
Permanent exclusions
0.33%
Exclusion rate
94
Suspensions
10.24%
Suspension rate
60 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 918 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with The Barlow RC High School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Barlow RC High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Barlow RC High School 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 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 The Barlow RC High School
Will you get a place at The Barlow RC High School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Barlow RC High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Barlow RC High School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Barlow RC High School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Barlow RC High School for 2014 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
101%
Over capacity
908 pupils
900 places
8 pupils over capacity 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
7,220
Applications
6,542
Got 1st preference
77.1%
Got preferred school
94.7%
All secondary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
82
EHC Plans
16.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Barlow RC High School has a resourced provision for autism: 20 places, 20 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
930
Total Pupils
487
Boys
443
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
65
Teachers
14.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,034
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,763
Per pupil
£7661k
Total funding
£383k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.8%
Overall absence
21.7%
Persistent absence
969
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
The Barlow RC High School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Barlow RC High School
What are GCSE results like at The Barlow RC High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Barlow RC High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 49.2. 50% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Barlow RC High School's Ofsted rating?
The Barlow RC High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Barlow RC High School?
No fixed boundary. When The Barlow RC High School is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Barlow RC High School?
The Barlow RC High School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Barlow RC High School?
Classes at The Barlow RC High School average 22.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Barlow RC High School?
The Barlow RC High School has around 930 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Barlow RC High School have specialist SEN provision?
The Barlow RC High School has a resourced provision for autism: 20 places, 20 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Barlow RC High School?
7.8% of sessions were missed at The Barlow RC High School in 2024/25. 21.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Barlow RC High School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming The Barlow RC 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 The Barlow RC High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Barlow RC High School?
The Barlow RC High School is at Parrs Wood Road, East Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6BX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)