Best secondary schools in Manchester
Manchester school decisions improve when you separate the city-centre hype from the local authority and postcode context that actually shapes daily life. This ranking covers 120 secondary schools across 10 local authority districts. Postcode area WA14 has the highest average school score (90.9 across 4 schools), while OL11 sits at the lower end (25.4). 97% of ranked Manchester secondary schools hold an Ofsted Outstanding or Good rating.
Top 10 secondary schools in Manchester on the LocaleIQ model
Ordered by composite score within the Manchester comparison pool. Rankings reflect published data, not editorial opinion.
More secondary schools in Manchester
Positions 11–30 in the Manchester ranking.
| # | School | LocaleIQ | Ofsted | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | St Damian's RC Science College | 87 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 12 | Laurus Ryecroft | 86.8 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 13 | Whalley Range 11-18 High School | 86.4 | Good | Secondary |
| 14 | Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Manchester | 86.3 | Good | Secondary |
| 15 | Wright Robinson College | 86 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 16 | Laurus Cheadle Hulme | 85 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 17 | Chorlton High School | 84.9 | Good | Secondary |
| 18 | Eden Boys' School, Bolton | 84.4 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 19 | Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Manchester | 83.7 | Good | Secondary |
| 20 | Levenshulme High School | 81.7 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 21 | St James's Church of England High School | 81.1 | Good | Secondary |
| 22 | Golborne High School | 80.5 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 23 | William Hulme's Grammar School | 77.7 | Good | All-through |
| 24 | Burnage Academy for Boys | 77.3 | Outstanding | Secondary |
| 25 | Wellington School | 77.1 | Good | Secondary |
| 26 | Dean Trust Ardwick | 76.8 | Good | Secondary |
| 27 | Canon Slade School | 76.7 | Good | Secondary |
| 28 | The Derby High School | 75.8 | Good | Secondary |
| 29 | Sharples School | 75.6 | Good | Secondary |
| 30 | Bolton Muslim Girls School | 75.2 | Good | Secondary |
Keep exploring Manchester
Questions about secondary schools in Manchester
What is the best secondary school in Manchester?
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is the top-ranked secondary school in Manchester (LocaleIQ score 99.8 out of 100). Ofsted: Outstanding. Attainment 8 80.6. The score combines Ofsted outcome, Progress 8 and Attainment 8, and cohort-weighted percentile ranks within the Manchester secondary pool.
What is the best primary school in Manchester?
Egerton Primary School tops the Manchester primary school ranking (LocaleIQ 100). Ofsted: Good. KS2 expected 78% · higher 28%. See the full primary school ranking for Manchester for the complete list.
Which secondary schools in Manchester have the best GCSE results?
Attainment 8 measures average GCSE grades across eight subjects; Progress 8 compares actual grades against predictions based on KS2 — a positive figure means pupils outperformed expectations. Top performers in Manchester: Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (Attainment 8 80.6); Altrincham Grammar School for Boys (Attainment 8 78.5); Sale Grammar School (Attainment 8 76.1). Both metrics feed into the LocaleIQ secondary school score.
Which secondary schools in Manchester are rated Outstanding by Ofsted?
15 secondary schools in the Manchester ranking hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating: Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Sale Grammar School, Loreto Grammar School, Cheadle Hulme High School, and 10 more. Outstanding means Ofsted judged the school exceptional in all inspection areas. LocaleIQ weighs DfE performance data alongside Ofsted, so a Good-rated school can still rank highly.
How many secondary schools are ranked in Manchester?
This ranking covers 120 secondary schools in the Manchester comparison pool, across 10 local authority districts. Schools without sufficient published data are excluded but may appear in the LocaleIQ directory.
Which area of Manchester has the best secondary schools?
By average LocaleIQ score across postcode areas, WA14 has the strongest cluster — 90.9 average across 4 ranked secondary schools. OL11 sits at the lower end (25.4 average). Manchester school decisions improve when you separate the city-centre hype from the local authority and postcode context that actually shapes daily life. Postcode averages mask individual variation — always review each school's full profile.
Ranking data last computed 29 March 2026.