St Alphonsus RC Primary School

St Alphonsus RC Primary is a highly ambitious and inclusive school where pupils are well supported and achieve strongly. Pupils describe the school as 'one big family', behave exceptionally well and benefit from calm, purposeful classrooms. Reading is prioritised, pupils with SEND are identified and supported early, and attendance is managed effectively. Personal development is a particular strength, with pupils taking on many leadership roles and developing a sophisticated understanding of equality, diversity, healthy lifestyles and online safety. Leadership is effective, governance provides appropriate support and challenge, and staff feel proud and well supported. The main areas for improvement are in some subjects where the curriculum does not yet consistently help pupils revisit prior learning, meaning gaps in knowledge are not always identified before pupils move on. In some subjects, teaching also does not develop pupils' vocabulary well enough, so pupils are not fully secure in the vocabulary the curriculum intends them to learn. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2014, when it was judged outstanding and later exempt from routine inspection. Schools inspected from September 2024 are not given an overall effectiveness grade, so the report evaluates the separate key judgements rather than a single overall outcome.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of a diverse school population
• Exceptional personal, social and emotional support for pupils
• Strong relationships and a school culture pupils describe as 'one big family'
• Exemplary pupil behaviour, resilience and positive attitudes to learning
• Calm and purposeful classrooms that help pupils do their best
• Exceptional personal development programme with a wide range of leadership opportunities
• Pupils develop a sophisticated understanding of equality, diversity, healthy lifestyles and online safety
• Effective phonics and reading provision, with swift catch-up support for pupils who fall behind
• Early and effective identification and support for pupils with SEND
• Clear attendance and punctuality procedures that work well with families
• Effective governance and a culture of ambition and continuous improvement
• Staff feel proud, valued and well supported with training and consideration of workload
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, curriculum opportunities to revisit prior learning are at an early stage, so gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified
• In some subjects, teaching does not develop pupils' vocabulary well enough, leaving pupils less secure in the vocabulary intended by the curriculum

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Alphonsus RC Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at St Alphonsus RC Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Alphonsus RC Primary School had 19.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 20.4% of pupils at St Alphonsus RC Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Alphonsus RC Primary School received £8,534 and spent £8,532 for each of its 167 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £73,000 (£438 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Manchester · Trafford local authority: places and applications

What is St Alphonsus RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Alphonsus RC Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Alphonsus RC Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Alphonsus RC Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Alphonsus RC Primary School have?

St Alphonsus RC Primary School has 167 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Alphonsus RC Primary School cover?

St Alphonsus RC Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Alphonsus RC Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Alphonsus RC Primary School?

St Alphonsus RC Primary School is at Hamilton Street, Off Stretford Road, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 7PT.