School Chooser

Moston Lane Community Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil456 pupilsNurseryManchester
School Chooser Score
40
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 23 to 60
Out of 100. Better than 56% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, September 2022
Reached the expected level at 1159%England 63%
Attendance94.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families57%Far more than most schools
Places24 spare456 pupils, 480 places
Pupils per teacher20.4School workforce census

Moston Lane Community Primary School is a council school in Manchester for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 456 pupils and room for 480. About 57 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 40 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 56% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

Moston Lane, Moston, Manchester, M9 4HH0161 205 3864mostonlane.manchester.sch.ukMrs Elizabeth Hardwick headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 September 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

59 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1159%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 62%62%20172018: 58%58%20182019: 70%70%20192023: 48%48%20232024: 47%47%20242025: 59%59%2025
Since 2017: -3%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017ManchesterEngland
Pupils tested596060605350
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths59%47%48%70%58%62%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%3%0%2%2%0%5%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0103.0102.0103.0103.0101.0104.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0104.0103.0105.0103.0102.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0103.0102.0108.0104.0106.0105.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard69%60%68%72%70%68%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard75%72%73%85%74%76%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)66%55%62%85%77%72%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.0+1.4-0.2-0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.3+2.2+0.3+0.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%42%38%66%59%59%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged72%52%58%77%58%69%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 3 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
50%72%
Gap 22 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
62%58%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
56%59%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%3%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full406 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
97% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Manchester council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll456Census January 2026
Places48095% full
Pupils from low-income families57%57% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English44%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support18%83 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%20 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.016 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils25%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)56%£353,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls234 / 222
White British pupils32%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (71), emotional and mental health (23), Moderate learning difficulty (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll456457464472470448
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals57%57%55%55%53%49%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language44%41%39%35%37%38%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support19%20%22%25%20%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%2%1%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school15.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.7%5.6%6.0%5.4%3.7%3.8%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.2%3.2%3.5%3.6%2.3%2.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%2.4%2.5%1.8%1.5%1.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence15.4%17.6%16.3%13.0%10.9%8.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.40.91.31.11.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00010

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers22.4full-time equivalent, 23 people
Pupils per teacher20.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants20.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£41,458
Teachers who left in the year25%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.12024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£7,233England £7,738. Total £3.3m
Income per pupil£7,524England £7,697. Total £3.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,585England £3,480
Money in reserve10%A healthy amount put by: £348k, £761 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£133kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,233spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate0 per 1,000 people100% lower than the England average
Typical house price£254,000Manchester
Nearest bus stop80 mClough Road, 13 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Lily Lane Primary SchoolAcademy460 m598Report card 20262Compare
Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England490 m457Requires improvement 20244Compare
St Dunstan's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy730 m288Good 2020Compare
Moston Fields Primary SchoolCouncil880 m398No overall grade 20243Compare
Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy0.6 miles428No overall grade 202495Compare
Oasis Academy Harpur MountAcademy0.7 miles443Good 202485Compare
St Edmund's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles210Good 2024Compare
Irk Valley Community SchoolCouncil0.9 miles437Good 202327Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Moston Lane Community Primary School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats56%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 40 is 6 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 34 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Moston Lane Community Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary SchoolRoman Catholic2.1 miles503Outstanding 202398Compare
East Ward Community Primary SchoolAcademy6.4 miles474Report card 202655Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 40 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 40% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 23 to 60. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.17
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 59 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 4.0 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.07
DfE progress measure; 59 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.04
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 376 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 59 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Moston Lane Community Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Moston Lane Community Primary School scores 40 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 56% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 23 to 60, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Moston Lane Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Moston Lane Community Primary School good at its last full inspection on 28 September 2022.

How good are Moston Lane Community Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 59% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Moston Lane Community Primary School have?

456 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 480 places, so it is 95% full.

Is Moston Lane Community Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Moston Lane Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 15% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Moston Lane Community Primary School?

The average class had 28.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 25% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Moston Lane, Moston, Manchester, M9 4HH
Telephone
0161 205 3864
Website
www.mostonlane.manchester.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Elizabeth Hardwick
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Manchester
Ward
Moston
Constituency
Blackley and Middleton South
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
105428 · LAESTAB 3522165 · UKPRN 10070091

Where these figures come from