Schools in Greater Manchester

How many schools are there in Greater Manchester?

Greater Manchester has 5 open schools: 2 state primary and 3 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Greater Manchester are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Greater Manchester was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Glodwick Infant and Nursery School. Counting Good as well, 80% of the 5 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Glodwick Infant and Nursery School

Source: Ofsted

Do schools in Greater Manchester have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Greater Manchester have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Greater Manchester?

Apply to your council - Wigan, Stockport or Manchester, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.