The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School, Manchester
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 211th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 11,866th of 14,452 across England. It was 88% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2024)
- 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 Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School in detail
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "The Divine Mercy RC Primary School is a very special place. We are a happy school where everyone works hard to encourage children to enjoy learning, achieve their best, behave well, support each other and grow in confidence. We aim to help children to grow into confident, talented and articulate young people."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, swimming and eco club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 82% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 32 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School are Heald Place Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 68% reading, 68% maths); Claremont Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 51% reading, 60% maths); Wilbraham Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 70% reading, 72% maths); and Webster Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 78% reading, 89% maths).
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Heald Place Primary SchoolClaremont Primary SchoolWilbraham Primary SchoolWebster Primary School
Who goes there
48.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 60.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (35%), Black (29%) and Mixed (15%).
In 2026, 80 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 12 (3%) 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 tram or metro stop is Withington (Manchester Metrolink), about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Carlton Avenue (opposite), 150 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 0.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School are Manchester Academy (0.5 miles), William Hulme's Grammar School (0.8 miles), Whalley Range 11-18 High School (0.8 miles) and Trinity CofE High School (1 mile).
Manchester AcademyWilliam Hulme's Grammar SchoolWhalley Range 11-18 High SchoolTrinity CofE High School
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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
48.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 82% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 55% to 42% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.9
Avg class size
24.7
Infant (KS1)
24.8
KS2
17
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Manchester
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School.
- Progressive SportsAt the school · Not yet graded
- The Den Holiday Club Ltd820m away · Not yet graded
- Future Shapers Preschool & Wraparound Care890m away · Ofsted: Good
- Bright Future Childcare920m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary 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
- 40
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 27 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary 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 Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary 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
88%
Available places
369 pupils
420 places
51 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 Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
80
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
22.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
406
Total Pupils
223
Boys
183
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
23.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,109
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,233
Per pupil
£2765k
Total funding
£268k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
16.8%
Persistent absence
352
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
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 65% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.
What is The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary 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 Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 88% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
Classes at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School average 23.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School has around 406 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 16.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic 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.
Does The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Progressive Sports (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre.
How many road collisions happen near The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 12 serious and 27 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School?
The Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Primary School is at 20 Blue Moon Way, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 7SH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)