SchoolScoresNorth Ridge High School
Special school · Secondary, ages 11 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form
Alworth Road, Blackley, Manchester, M9 0RP
0161 553 0200 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 29 April 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
| Outcomes for pupils | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 27 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
After Year 11
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
30 pupils in this year group.
100% — 11 points above the Manchester average, and 8 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. | 100% | 89% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 0% | 15% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 0% | 30% | 13% |
| Further education college | 3% | 39% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| Work | 0% | 2% | 3% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 100% | 100% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Manchester. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia); Visual impairment; Other difficulties or disabilities; Hearing impairment; Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Moderate learning difficulties; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.
| Pupils | This school | Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 75.2% | 71.0%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 99.9%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.1%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 27.5% | 29.9%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 11.6% | 14.2%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 32.6% | 38.0%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 3.5 | 1.2 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 3.0% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.08% |
| Pupils per teacher | 11.4 | 8.1 | 6.6 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 3.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 22.0% | 14.3%* | 14.3%* |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Meade Hill School 0.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 2% grade 5+ English and maths
- Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2023)
- Camberwell Park Specialist Support School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Inadequate (2024, before conversion)
- Manchester Jewish School for Special Education 1.9 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024)
- Newlands School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), some aspects weaker 2025 · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
- Halcyon Way School 2.6 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
- Chances Mentoring 2.6 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 5 expected
- Kingfisher Special School 2.7 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2014, before conversion), confirmed 2025 · 0% met expected standard (KS2)
- Aim Habonim 2.7 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
- Spring Brook Academy 2.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is North Ridge High School's Ofsted rating?
North Ridge High School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 29 April 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 27 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 132905.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, After Year 11 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.