School Chooser

St Philip's Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England173 pupils Free breakfast clubManchester
School Chooser Score
29
Below
similar schools
Likely range 13 to 55, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 34% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, June 2023
Reached the expected level at 1141%England 63%
Attendance97.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families41%Far more than most schools
Places37 spare173 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher16.6School workforce census

St Philip's Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Manchester for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 173 pupils and room for 210. About 40 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 29 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 34% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Loxford Street, Hulme, Manchester, M15 6BT0161 226 2050st-philips.manchester.sch.ukMr Gavin Shortall headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 7 June 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1141%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 54%54%20172018: 62%62%20182019: 62%62%20192023: 40%40%20232024: 43%43%20242025: 41%41%2025
Since 2017: -13%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017ManchesterEngland
Pupils tested273030212928
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths41%43%40%62%62%54%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%3%3%0%10%4%5%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0100.0101.0105.0107.0101.0104.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0102.0101.0105.0105.0104.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0103.0102.0107.0107.0106.0105.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard63%67%60%76%79%57%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard56%60%63%90%72%89%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%50%43%67%76%79%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.4-0.1+3.0+0.4
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.6-1.0+2.0+1.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged30%41%50%47%53%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged47%46%35%90%56%

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
30%47%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
36%46%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
40%41%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places191 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
91% full

About 19 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 9% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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 roll173Census January 2026
Places21082% full
Pupils from low-income families41%41% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English62%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support8%14 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%11 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.77 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)39%£106,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls91 / 82
White British pupils6%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 23.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (9), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Physical disability (3), Specific learning difficulty (3), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll173187206199208188
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals41%37%34%32%33%32%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language62%57%58%59%59%49%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%6%7%9%7%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%4%5%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 97.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance97.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school3.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence2.8%2.8%2.7%1.9%0.8%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.3%2.2%2.1%1.6%0.7%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.5%0.6%0.6%0.3%0.1%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence3.7%4.5%3.6%1.5%0.0%4.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers10.4full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher16.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£41,995
Teachers who left in the year19%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher6.02024/25

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£8,438England £7,738. Total £1.6m
Income per pupil£8,026England £7,697. Total £1.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,723England £3,480
Money in reserve7%Not much put by: £97k, £518 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£77kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,438spent 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 m312 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 stop90 mEpping Street, 22 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
St Wilfrid's RC Primary SchoolRoman Catholic540 m212Good 202388Compare
Rolls Crescent Primary SchoolAcademy580 m325Report card 202639Compare
Crown Street Primary SchoolFree school780 m80Not inspectedCompare
Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School ManchesterRoman Catholic0.6 miles218Outstanding 202495Compare
Webster Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles363No overall grade 202578Compare
Co-op Academy MedlockAcademy0.8 miles357Requires improvement 20217Compare
St Alphonsus RC Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.8 miles167No overall grade 202484Compare
Old Trafford Community AcademyAcademy0.9 miles324No overall grade 202413Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Philip's Church of England Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats34%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 29 is 12 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 40 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Philip's Church of England 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
Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School ManchesterRoman Catholic0.6 miles218Outstanding 202495Compare
St Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England4.1 miles232Good 202348Compare
Whitefield Community Primary SchoolAcademy5.6 miles170Good 202156Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 29 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 29% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 13 to 55. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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
-0.20
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 27 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.3 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.03
DfE progress measure; 27 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.03
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.13
2024/25; 189 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.15
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 27 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 St Philip's Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Philip's Church of England Primary School scores 29 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 34% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 13 to 55, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Philip's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Philip's Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 7 June 2023.

How good are St Philip's Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 41% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Philip's Church of England Primary School have?

173 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 82% full.

Is St Philip's Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 19 places were empty in 2024/25 (9% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Philip's Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 97.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 4% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Philip's Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 24.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Philip's Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Loxford Street, Hulme, Manchester, M15 6BT
Telephone
0161 226 2050
Website
www.st-philips.manchester.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Gavin Shortall
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Manchester
Local authority
Manchester
Ward
Hulme
Constituency
Manchester Rusholme
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
105509 · LAESTAB 3523325 · UKPRN 10068572

Where these figures come from