Unity Community Primary, Manchester

Requires Improvement
Primary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 211

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~560m)Possible (~800m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Jude Lee
Pupils:363 / 420 capacity
LA:Manchester
Phone:01618712614
Address:Allesley Drive, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, M7 4YE
Trust:BIG LIFE SCHOOLS
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2015

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:141966
UKPRN:10053825
Constituency:Manchester Central
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Unity Community Primary excels at welcoming and supporting pupils from diverse backgrounds, including those new to the country and those with additional needs. The school provides strong teaching in phonics and reading, while maintaining high standards of behaviour and respect. Leaders create an inclusive environment where all pupils, regardless of their starting point, achieve well and feel valued as part of the school community.

Key Strengths

  • Strong phonics teaching and early reading support that prepares pupils well for later learning
  • Effective support for vulnerable pupils, including those new to the country and pupils with SEND
  • High standards of behaviour and respect, with bullying and derogatory language rapidly reducing
  • Ambitious and engaging curriculum with clear progression from early years through Year 6
  • Inclusive leadership that ensures all pupils feel welcome and have access to activities and opportunities

Areas for Improvement

  • Pupils' fluency in writing needs development - some pupils lack ease when recording their learning and ideas
  • Teachers sometimes present new information before pupils are fully ready, making it difficult for some to understand their learning
  • Inconsistency in checking pupils' understanding of previous learning before introducing new concepts

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

clubs, opportunities to explore local places of interest and leisure activities

Unity Community Primary is a diverse and welcoming school where pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders have successfully addressed previous inspection issues and created a supportive environment where all pupils, including those new to the country and those with additional needs, settle and thrive.

At a Glance

52.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-2ppMaths-7ppWriting+7pp

Reading has remained stable at around 69%. Maths has declined from 75% to 68%. Writing has improved from 61% to 68%.

Class Sizes

25.6

Avg class size

22.2

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

14

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Barrow Hill Road (nr)
240m · 4 min walk
Alderglen Road (nr)
309m · 5 min walk
Elvate Crescent (nr)
316m · 5 min walk
Waterloo Road (nr)
326m · 5 min walk
Tully Street South (nr)
434m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

86%

Available places

363 pupils

420 capacity

57 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Manchester

Low pressure
New homes approved:18,398
Projected new pupils:4,600

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Manchester

Admissions Demand - Manchester

Low demand0.77x oversubscription

Places available

7,395

Applications

5,691

Got 1st preference

97.3%

Got preferred school

99.5%

Primary admissions across Manchester (2025/26)

Inspection History(13)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.59282%

Overall absence

20.16129%

Persistent absence

372

Enrolments

Authorised3.31525%
Unauthorised2.27756%
Persistent (10%+)20.16129%
Severe (50%+)2.95699%

Absence trend

4.48086%
18/19
4.43222%
20/21
7.50936%
21/22
7.48097%
22/23
6.28764%
23/24
5.59282%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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