The Barlow RC High School and Specialist Science College
| Type | Secondary / Voluntary aided school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Parrs Wood Road East Didsbury Manchester M20 6BX |
| Phone | 01614458053 |
| Reference Number | 105581 |
The Barlow RC High School and Specialist Science College continues to demonstrate strong performance as a good school, with a welcoming environment where students' differences are celebrated. The school fosters high expectations for learning and behavior, successfully delivers a broad and rich curriculum, and effectively supports diverse needs, including those of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils achieve well, and the school's emphasis on personal development is notable, providing numerous opportunities for leadership and extracurricular engagement. While there have been significant staffing changes aimed at enhancing student support, some gaps in knowledge assessment among teachers need addressing to further secure pupil learning.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 918 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.4%
Girls: 47.6% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 38.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 17.3% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.1 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 76 | 111 | 187 |
| 8 | 93 | 93 | 186 |
| 9 | 114 | 72 | 186 |
| 10 | 97 | 79 | 176 |
| 11 | 101 | 82 | 183 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 45.8% |
| African | 12% |
| White, Other | 8.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 4% |
| Indian | 4% |
| Pakistani | 3.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.7% |
| Asian, Other | 2.2% |
| Unclassified | 2.1% |
| White & Asian | 1.9% |
| Irish | 1.7% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.4% |
| Caribbean | 1.3% |
| Chinese | 1.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 11 Jun 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 11 Jun 2024 | School inspection |
| 19 Jun 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Nov 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 16 Oct 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 27 Sep 2011 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 02 Mar 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 31 Oct 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Oct 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Welcoming school environment celebrating pupils' differences.
- High expectations for learning and behavior fostered in students.
- Broad and rich curriculum leads to effective learning outcomes.
- Strong subject knowledge among teachers enhances pupil engagement.
- Positive pupil behavior and consistent routines support school culture.
- Comprehensive personal development program for students.
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers do not quickly identify or address gaps in pupils' knowledge.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 49.8 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 53.4% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 69.1% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 108 | 32 |
| Third Preference | 120 | 11 |
| From another Local Authority | 39 | 10 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Catherine's RC Primary School
School Lane, Didsbury, St Catherines Rc Primary Scho, Manchester, M20 6HS |
0.13 miles |
|
Beaver Road Primary School
Beaver Road, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6SX |
0.36 miles |
|
Didsbury CofE Primary School
Elm Grove, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6RL |
0.45 miles |
|
Stella Maris School
St John's Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3BR |
0.59 miles |
|
St John's Church of England Primary School
Poplar Street, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3DG |
0.64 miles |
|
Didsbury Road Primary School
Didsbury Road, Heaton Mersey, Didsbury Road Primary School, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3HB |
0.84 miles |
|
Broad Oak Primary School
Broad Oak Lane, East Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M20 5QB |
0.87 miles |
|
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School
Heyscroft Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 4UZ |
0.97 miles |
|
Freshfield Nursery School
42 Mauldeth Road, Stockport, SK4 3NB |
0.97 miles |
|
Tithe Barn Primary School
Mauldeth Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3NG |
1.01 miles |
|
West Didsbury CE Primary School
Central Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M20 4ZA |
1.03 miles |
|
St Winifred's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Didsbury Road, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3JH |
1.04 miles |
|
Moor Allerton Preparatory School
131 Barlow Moor Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, Lancashire, M20 2PW |
1.05 miles |
|
Ladybarn Primary School
Briarfield Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 4SR |
1.08 miles |
|
Green End Primary School
Burnage Lane, Burnage, Manchester, M19 1DR |
1.15 miles |
|
St Paul's CofE Primary School
St Paul's Road, Withington, Manchester, M20 4PG |
1.2 miles |
|
St Bernard's RC Primary School Manchester
Burnage Lane, Manchester, M19 1DR |
1.21 miles |
|
Manchester Muslim Preparatory School
141 Barlow Moor Road, Manchester, M20 2PQ |
1.21 miles |
|
Mersey Vale Primary School
Valley Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 2BZ |
1.26 miles |
|
Cavendish Primary School
Cavendish Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M20 1JG |
1.27 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Parrs Wood High School
Wilmslow Road, East Didsbury, Manchester, M20 5PG |
0.55 miles |
|
Priestnall School
Priestnall Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 3HP |
0.86 miles |
|
Burnage Academy for Boys
Burnage Lane, Burnage, Manchester, M19 1ER |
1.05 miles |
|
Lancasterian School
Elizabeth Slinger Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2XA |
1.4 miles |
|
Didsbury High School
4 the Avenue, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2ET |
1.59 miles |
|
The Watkin Centre
Mulberry House, Claverton Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M23 9TT |
1.59 miles |
|
Heaton School
St James Road, Heaton Moor, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 4RE |
1.62 miles |
|
Withington Girls' School
Wellington Road, Manchester, M14 6BL |
1.65 miles |
|
Covenant Christian School
48 Heaton Moor Road, Heaton Moor, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 4NX |
1.69 miles |
|
Levenshulme High School
Crossley Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M19 1FS |
1.83 miles |
|
Stockport Academy
Heathbank Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire, SK3 0UP |
1.84 miles |
|
Brinksway School
Yew Street, Stockport, SK4 2HG |
1.88 miles |
|
The Kingsway School
Foxland Road, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 4QX |
1.98 miles |
|
St Anne's RC Voluntary Academy
Glenfield Road, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, Cheshire, SK4 2QP |
2.06 miles |
|
Southern Cross School
Roundwood Road, Northenden, Manchester, M22 4AB |
2.1 miles |
|
Loreto High School Chorlton
Nell Lane, Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 7SW |
2.13 miles |
|
Progress Schools - Stockport
Belgrave House, 211 Chestergate, Stockport, SK3 0AN |
2.17 miles |
|
Whalley Range 11-18 High School
Wilbraham Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M16 8GW |
2.19 miles |
|
Manchester High School for Girls
Grangethorpe Road, Manchester, M14 6HS |
2.2 miles |
|
CHS South
451 Mauldeth Road West, Chorlton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M21 7SX |
2.2 miles |