St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a converter academy in Ashton-under-Lyne for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 249 pupils, 9 more than it has places for. About 19 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
St Christopher's Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9DP0161 330 5880st-christophers.tameside.sch.ukMr Ian Noone headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 5 December 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
31 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. These are the results of St Christopher's RC Primary School, the school this one replaced.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025† | 2024† | 2023† | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Tameside | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 32 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 87% | 94% | 87% | 90% | 94% | 91% | 62% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 19% | 10% | 20% | 23% | 21% | 34% | 4% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 108.0 | 110.0 | 109.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 112.0 | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 109.0 | 110.0 | 109.0 | 110.0 | 109.0 | 111.0 | 104.6 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 111.0 | 112.0 | 111.0 | 109.0 | 111.0 | 113.0 | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 90% | 97% | 90% | 94% | 94% | 100% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 97% | 97% | 93% | 94% | 97% | 94% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 90% | 97% | 90% | 90% | 97% | 91% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +4.1 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +5.2 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +4.4 | +3.2 | +3.9 | +4.9 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 78% | 83% | 71% | 67% | – | 50% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 91% | 100% | 91% | 96% | – | 100% | – | – |
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.
† These results are for St Christopher's RC Primary School, the school this one replaced in March 2025. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
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
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. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
The school is full, with 5 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place.
The last child to get a place lived 480 m away in 2026, 1.1 miles away in 2025, 120 m away in 2024. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 480 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year. 36 families put it down as their first choice and 30 of them got in (83%).
| Entry | Places | Put it first | Applied at all | Got a place | First choices who got in | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 30 | 36 | 71 | 30 | 83% | 480 m | LA |
| 2025 Primary | 30 | 45 | 86 | 30 | 67% | 1.1 miles | LA |
| 2024 Primary | 30 | 42 | 89 | 30 | 71% | 120 m | LA |
| 2023 Primary | 30 | 51 | 101 | 30 | 55% | 1.1 miles | LA |
| 2022 Primary | 30 | 57 | 113 | 30 | 53% | 80 m | LA |
| 2021 Primary | 30 | 35 | 79 | 30 | 86% | 700 m | LA |
| 2020 Primary | 30 | – | – | 30 | – | 0.9 miles | LA |
The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.
What a home within 480 m of the school costs
Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.
Who goes here
Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 31.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.5 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (11), emotional and mental health (4), Physical disability (2), Specific learning difficulty (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1).
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25† | 2023/24† | 2022/23† | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 3.6% | 4.4% | 4.3% | 5.5% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 1.7% | 2.7% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.7% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.5% | 0.8% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 6.8% | 10.4% | 9.6% | 12.9% | 3.2% | 5.2% | 12.8% |
† These attendance figures are for St Christopher's RC Primary School, the school this one replaced in March 2025. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosehill Methodist Primary Academy | Academy | 680 m | 306 | Good 2023 | 18 | Compare |
| Holden Clough Primary School | Academy | 740 m | 297 | Report card 2026 | 88 | Compare |
| Oasis Academy Broadoak | Academy | 880 m | 420 | Report card 2026 | 17 | Compare |
| Inspire Academy | Academy | 880 m | 435 | Good 2023 | 64 | Compare |
| Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 0.7 miles | 187 | Report card 2026 | 5 | Compare |
| Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Ashton-under-Lyne | Roman Catholic | 0.8 miles | 235 | Good 2022 | 30 | Compare |
| Arlies Primary School | Council | 0.9 miles | 178 | Good 2023 | 19 | Compare |
| The Heys Primary School | Council | 1.0 miles | 226 | Good 2022 | 49 | Compare |
Questions parents ask
Is St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy a good school?
St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy doesn't have a score yet. Ofsted rated it good at its last inspection in December 2023.
What is St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy good at its last full inspection on 5 December 2023.
How good are St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 87% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 19% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy have?
249 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 240 places, so it is 104% full.
Is St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 480 m away. 36 families put it down as their first choice and 30 of them got in. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.
What is attendance like at St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Pupils were in school 96.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Christopher's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
The average class had 30.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 38% 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
- St Christopher's Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9DP
- Telephone
- 0161 330 5880
- Website
- www.st-christophers.tameside.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Ian Noone
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic, Diocese of Salford
- Multi-academy trust
- Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust (38 schools)
- Local authority
- Tameside
- Ward
- Ashton Hurst
- Constituency
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 March 2025 (academy converter)
- URN
- 151363 · LAESTAB 3573326 · UKPRN 10096585
- Formerly
- St Christopher's RC Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Tameside council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
- House prices: HM Land Registry price paid data, December 2023 to December 2025, placed by postcode.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.