Fairfield High School for Girls

Fairfield High School for Girls is performing well, having maintained a good standard of education since its last outstanding rating nine years ago. The school boasts a well-designed curriculum that enables pupils to achieve exceptionally well academically, with leaders demonstrating high expectations of student performance. Most parents express satisfaction with their children's progress and the supportive school environment fosters both safety and respect among students. However, attendance remains a concern, particularly for certain groups such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which hinders their full engagement with the educational offerings.

Strengths

• Exceptional academic achievement through a well-designed curriculum.
• High expectations from leaders regarding pupil performance.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND, helping them to learn effectively.
• Commitment to improving literacy and encouraging a love of reading.
• Inspiring extracurricular programs that raise pupil aspirations.

Areas for Improvement

• Some groups of pupils, including those with SEND, have lower attendance rates.
• Inconsistent handling of discriminatory language undermining inclusivity.

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 Fairfield High School for Girls attended 90.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 4.9% of pupils at Fairfield High School for Girls were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Fairfield High School for Girls had 19.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 10.2% of pupils at Fairfield High School for Girls were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Fairfield High School for Girls received £8,179 and spent £7,742 for each of its 992 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,759,000 (£1,773 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Stamford Park Trust, income was £7,264 and spending £7,263 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Fairfield High School for Girls is part of Stamford Park Trust, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Rayner Stephens High School Dukinfield
• Ashton Sixth Form College Ashton-Under-Lyne
• Longdendale High School Hyde

What is Fairfield High School for Girls's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Fairfield High School for Girls is Good, from an inspection in February 2023.

When was Fairfield High School for Girls last inspected by Ofsted?

Fairfield High School for Girls was last inspected in February 2023.

How many pupils does Fairfield High School for Girls have?

Fairfield High School for Girls has 986 pupils on roll.

What age range does Fairfield High School for Girls cover?

Fairfield High School for Girls for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Fairfield High School for Girls's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.5, and 61% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Fairfield High School for Girls?

Fairfield High School for Girls is at Fairfield Avenue, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6AB.