SchoolScoresIndependent school guide

The Birches School

Special school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed

Newholme Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2XZ

0161 448 8895 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 14 May 2024
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths0%England 62% · 2024/25
Pupils168
Free school meals60%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 14 May 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

54 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 81% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 78% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 78% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 23 parents whose child had been bullied 30% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 39 parents who had raised a concern 74% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent 81%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

28 pupils in this year group.

0% — 58 points below the Manchester average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolManchesterEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 58% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 5% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 72% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 67% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 72% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. 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 primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

Admissions dates and schools in Manchester

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: Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolManchesterEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 61.8% 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 55.3% 29.9%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 10.0% 14.2%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 33.1% 38.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0 1.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.0% 1.1% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.5 8.1 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.3 2.6 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 12.1% 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

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is The Birches School's Ofsted rating?

The Birches School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 14 May 2024.

How did The Birches School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 0% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 62 points below the England average of 62%.

Would parents recommend The Birches School?

81% of the 54 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025 said they would recommend The Birches School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.