Every Greater Manchester School In Latest Ofsted Reports 2026

Key Points

• Over a dozen of Ofsted reports on Greater Manchester Schools have been released in October 2026 by the Manchester Evening News.
• The St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School in Stockport has been put in special measures since the school has been found by Ofsted to be failing to offer “acceptable standard of education”.
• While Ravensfield Primary School in Dukinfield, Tameside, is still under special measures, the school has made “minor” improvements, says a monitoring report.
• Harper Green School in Bolton, Whalley Range 11-18 High School in Manchester and Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Wigan were awarded “strong” reports in all areas covered by Ofsted.
• A number of schools were found to be “expected standard” in most areas, such as Ethel’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Devonshire Road Primary School, Loreto High School Chorlton, Meadowbank Primary School, Poplar Street School and others.
• Reports of Greenbank Primary School, Summerville Primary School, Dixons Silver Springs Primary and Broadoak School showed the same weaknesses related to attendance, achievement and teaching consistency.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 17, 2026 — More than a dozen Ofsted school inspection reports have been published for Greater Manchester schools so far this month, revealing a mixed picture of strong community-focused schools, improving institutions and two schools facing serious concerns. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School in Stockport has been placed in special measures, while Ravensfield Primary School in Tameside has shown only limited progress since it was also placed in special measures earlier this year.

The reports cover primary and secondary schools across Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan. They include praise for schools with inclusive cultures, ambitious curricula and strong pupil behaviour, alongside criticism where attendance, achievement or leadership has not met the required standard.

Which Greater Manchester schools received the strongest Ofsted reports?

Harper Green School in Farnworth, Bolton, received the “expected standard” across all areas. The school, on Harper Green Road, was praised for its “sense of community” and for removing practical and financial barriers to participation in activities such as theatre trips, the Duke of Edinburgh programme and clubs.

According to the Manchester Evening News, lead inspector Ahmed Marikar said pupils “take pride in the diversity of the school community” and spoke positively about relationships with staff and fellow students. The school has 1,070 pupils, nearly half of whom qualify for free school meals. Year 10 pupils were also reported to receive support in developing employability skills.

Whalley Range 11-18 High School in Manchester was rated “strong” in every area inspected. The Manchester Evening News reported that the school, where around two-thirds of pupils receive free school meals, was praised for its “highly ambitious” curriculum, exemplary behaviour and strong achievement.

Lead inspector Lisa Corrigan wrote that pupils were “very well prepared for their next educational, employment, or training steps”. She said the school had a “warm and inviting atmosphere of mutual respect and support”, and that pupils felt confident reporting concerns because staff addressed them promptly.

Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Wigan also received “strong” ratings in all assessed areas. Inspector John Coxhead described positive relationships as the foundation of school life, adding that pupils listened attentively, followed routines and that bullying and poor behaviour were uncommon.

Why was St Thomas’ Primary School placed in special measures?

St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School, on Marriott Street in Stockport, was placed in special measures after Ofsted concluded that it was “failing to provide an acceptable standard of education”. The Manchester Evening News reported that inspectors found pupils were not adequately prepared for the next stage of their education and had “patchy” understanding across most subjects.

Lead inspector David Spruce said pupils had been impeded by factors arising from ineffective leadership and governance. He stated that leaders had not sufficiently addressed weaknesses in curriculum design and teaching, nor tackled long-standing attendance problems.

“These concerns have been raised in previous inspections, yet they largely remain,” Spruce said, according to the report quoted by the Manchester Evening News. “Consequently, students generally do not perform better in their learning as a result.”

The inspection did identify a positive area: Ofsted praised the school’s early years provision, saying children made a good start and formed warm relationships with teachers. The Manchester Evening News said the headteacher had been approached for comment.

What did Ofsted find at Ravensfield Primary School?

Ravensfield Primary School in Dukinfield, Tameside, remains under special measures but has made “minor” improvements, according to an Ofsted monitoring report. The school was placed in special measures earlier this year after the teachers’ union NASUWT reported violence against teachers and between pupils reaching “untenable levels”, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

The monitoring report said school leaders had “begun to implement actions to address significant areas of concern”. It acknowledged that relationships with many staff remained fractured, but said leaders were working closely with staff to establish clear expectations and repair relationships.

Behaviour was reported to have improved slightly, although the inspector said many pupils were still distracted by peers who were not engaged in learning. The report stated: “There is still a long way to go.” It also found that barriers to learning were not identified promptly and that gaps in learning often went unnoticed.

A spokesperson for CLIC Trust, which operates the school, said management “acknowledged the seriousness of Ofsted’s findings” and was committed to “implementing rapid improvements”. The spokesperson said the trust was working with the Department for Education and wider education partners, and had taken “decisive actions” to strengthen leadership and governance.

Which Manchester schools were praised by inspectors?

Loreto High School Chorlton, on Nell Lane, met the expected standard in most areas and received a “strong” rating for inclusion. Lead inspector Helen Fowler said pupils were “clearly proud” to belong to the school and that “everyone is included”. The school has 742 pupils, and staff received specialist training to support vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils.

Devonshire Road Primary School also received a highly positive report. Inspector Andrew Scholz described pupils as “remarkably polite, respectful, and considerate” and said staff had an excellent understanding of their students. The school has about 415 pupils, many of whom begin school with limited English but quickly develop vocabulary and communication skills.

Ethel’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Deane, Bolton, was rated “expected” in most categories and “strong” in personal development. Lead inspector Kate Bowker described the school as “welcoming and calm” and praised its support for pupils joining mid-year, those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs.

How did Salford schools perform in Ofsted inspections?

Greenbank Primary School met the expected standard in most areas but received “needs attention” for attendance. The report said pupils benefited from an ambitious curriculum, were attentive and eager to learn, but that too many did not attend regularly enough to gain the full benefit of school.

Summerville Primary School was largely praised for its “family community” atmosphere and confident, resilient pupils. However, inspector Costello found that pupils were not achieving as well as they should and that inconsistent teaching quality led to uneven progress through the curriculum.

Beech Hill Community Primary School received strong praise for its “nurturing and joyful” environment. It was rated “strong” for behaviour and pupil wellbeing, and met expected standards in all other areas. Inspector John Coxhead said staff quickly identified pastoral needs and built trusting relationships with pupils and families.

What did reports say about Stockport and Tameside schools?

Moor Junior School in Stockport received a favourable report, with “strong” ratings for behaviour and personal development and expected standards elsewhere. Inspector Rebecca Jewitt praised its personal, social, health and economic education curriculum, saying it helped pupils understand the wider world and prepared them for future responsibilities.

Meadowbank Primary School in Cheadle met the expected standard in all areas. Inspector Claire Hepper described pupils as calm, polite and harmonious, and said children developed independence and resilience from the early years onward.

Dixons Silver Springs Primary was recognised for welcoming pupils who had struggled at other schools. It met the expected standard in most areas but was advised to improve achievement and teaching quality. Lead inspector Tim Vaughan said reading, writing and mathematics performance and attendance improved year on year, although reading attainment remained below the national average.

In Tameside, Poplar Street School met expected standards in all areas. Lead inspector David Robinson said pupils had benefited from curriculum changes since the previous inspection, which helped them build and connect knowledge.

Beech Street Community Primary School in Winton was recognised for its “strong” inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Inspector Ruth Baldwin said inclusion was central to the school’s mission and that pupils with SEND and those facing challenges in their lives were valued and thrived.

Broadoak School was praised for offering an unusual range of subjects, including construction and beauty alongside more conventional subjects. However, inspector Jane Dennis found that pupils were not achieving their full potential and that further work was needed to improve teaching quality.

How have Ofsted report cards changed?

Ofsted’s revised report cards have moved away from the previous simple labels of “good”, “outstanding” or “requires improvement”. The Manchester Evening News reported that the new system provides more detailed evaluations for parents and uses colour-coded grades across areas including attendance and behaviour, achievement, personal development and wellbeing, and inclusion.

The new ratings range from “exceptional” and “strong” to “expected standard”, “needs attention” and “urgent improvement”. Safeguarding is reported separately as either “met” or “not met”.

Background of the development

Ofsted is the government body responsible for inspecting and regulating schools and other education providers in England. Its inspections assess the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and safeguarding.

The latest Greater Manchester reports follow a period of change in Ofsted’s inspection framework. The introduction of report cards is intended to give parents a clearer picture of what is working well and where a school needs to improve, rather than relying solely on a single overall judgment.

Special measures is one of the most serious outcomes available to Ofsted. It indicates that inspectors believe a school is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education and requires intervention, close monitoring and improvement planning. Ravensfield Primary had already been placed in special measures earlier in 2026, while St Thomas’ has now joined it following its latest inspection.

Prediction: how will this affect parents and pupils?

For parents in Greater Manchester, the reports are likely to increase attention on attendance, teaching consistency and how schools support vulnerable pupils. Families considering schools in Stockport and Tameside may pay particular attention to improvement plans, leadership changes and monitoring reports at St Thomas’ and Ravensfield.

For pupils at schools praised by Ofsted, the findings may reinforce confidence in extracurricular opportunities, inclusion and preparation for further education or employment. At schools identified for improvement, the reports are likely to place greater pressure on leaders and trusts to address attendance, curriculum gaps and behaviour concerns quickly.

For school staff and governing bodies, the results may shape priorities for the coming term. Schools rated “strong” are likely to seek to maintain their practices, while those with “needs attention” or “urgent improvement” findings will be expected to demonstrate measurable progress at future monitoring visits or inspections.