Wardley CofE Primary School, Manchester
Wardley 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 Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 582nd of 14,452 across England. It was 92% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Wardley CofE Primary School in detail
Wardley CofE Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Wardley CE is a thriving one form entry primary school. We are very lucky to have a strong and dedicated staff group who are passionate about the quality of the education they provide. We believe that primary education is more than just academic achievement."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 96% of Year 6 pupils at Wardley CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Salford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (93% in reading, 93% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Wardley CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put Wardley CofE Primary School as their first choice and 52 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Wardley CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Wardley CofE Primary School are Mossfield Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths); Clifton Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 63% maths); St Charles' RC Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 75% reading, 82% maths); and St Peter's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 90% maths).
Wardley CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Mossfield Primary SchoolClifton Primary SchoolSt Charles' RC Primary SchoolSt Peter's CofE Primary School
What parents say
16 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Wardley CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
9.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%), Mixed (6%) and Black (6%).
In 2026, 37 pupils (16.9%) received SEN support and 5 (2.3%) 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 railway station is Moorside Rail Station, about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mossfield Road Turning Circle (at), 210 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Wardley CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Wardley CofE Primary School are St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High School (0.4 miles), Co-op Academy Swinton (0.5 miles), Barton Moss Education Centre (0.9 miles) and Moorside High School (0.9 miles).
St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic High SchoolCo-op Academy SwintonBarton Moss Education CentreMoorside High 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 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 2017, 9 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 April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Wardley CofE Primary is a caring school where children are genuinely happy and eager to learn. The early years provision is exceptional, giving children a confident start, and reading is a particular strength with most children fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. The school goes above and beyond with enriching trips, visits, and clubs, ensuring all children - including those with additional needs - can participate fully in school life.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils embody the school's values and demonstrate exemplary conduct
- Outstanding early years provision - children make a strong start with highly skilled staff fostering curiosity and independence
- Excellent reading programme - most pupils are fluent readers by the end of key stage 1 with expert phonics teaching
- Strong support for pupils with SEND - swift identification of needs with rigorous staff training and curriculum adaptations
- Broad enrichment opportunities - trips, visits, and clubs including sports, chess, and choir available to all pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment gaps in newly revised subjects - the school does not always effectively identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge in subjects undergoing recent curriculum changes
- Need for consistent strategies to check learning - staff require better skills to identify when pupils have not secured learning before moving to new content
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, chess, choir, trips and visits, litter picking projects, gardening projects, before and after-school childcare
Wardley CofE Primary School provides a warm and supportive environment where pupils thrive and achieve well in most subjects. The school has outstanding behaviour and personal development, with a broad curriculum designed to meet the needs of all learners.
At a Glance
20.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
16 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 remained stable at around 96% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 87% to 93% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.4
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Wardley CofE Primary School
Term dates
Wardley 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 Wardley CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wardley 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
3 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 Wardley CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Wardley CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Wardley CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Wardley CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Wardley CofE Primary School.
- Salford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Wardley CofE Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Wardley 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
92%
Near capacity
194 pupils
210 places
16 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
19.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
219
Total Pupils
103
Boys
116
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,704
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,567
Per pupil
£1220k
Total funding
£55k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
11.4%
Persistent absence
175
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
Questions parents ask about Wardley CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at Wardley CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at Wardley CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 96% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is Wardley CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Wardley CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Wardley CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Wardley 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 Wardley CofE Primary School?
Wardley CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 92% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Wardley CofE Primary School?
Classes at Wardley CofE Primary School average 27.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Wardley CofE Primary School?
Wardley CofE Primary School has around 219 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Wardley CofE Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Wardley CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wardley CofE Primary School?
Apply through Salford's coordinated admissions process, naming Wardley 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 Wardley CofE Primary School's term dates?
Wardley 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 Wardley CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 3 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 Wardley CofE Primary School?
Wardley CofE Primary School is at Moss Bank Road, Wardley, Manchester, M27 9XB.
Sources: Salford term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)