Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College Review 2026: Joint-faith secondary in Heywood

A joint Roman Catholic and Church of England school, this is a deliberately values-led option for families who want faith woven into everyday routines as well as curriculum choices. The college serves students aged 11 to 16 and sits within Rochdale’s coordinated admissions system, with a published admission number of 150 for Year 7.

Academically, outcomes look broadly in line with the middle of England schools on the main measures, with a strong local placing in the Heywood area. That combination matters because it signals a school that is clearly an established choice locally, while still needing to work hard on consistency and progress for all groups.

Leadership is front and centre on the school’s own materials, with Mrs Karen Ames named as headteacher.

The defining feature here is the dual tradition. The admissions arrangements explicitly split Year 7 places across the two denominations, and the school explains its governance and admissions role as a voluntary aided college working with both dioceses alongside the local authority. This is not a “religious character” label that sits quietly in the background, it is reflected in how the school talks about identity, community expectations, and how families join.

The values language on the school website is clear and consistent, with Faith, Integrity, Compassion, Perseverance and Community presented as the guiding principles for students’ development. For parents, that usually translates into two practical realities. First, the school is likely to feel most natural for families who already recognise the rhythms of faith life. Second, expectations around conduct and respect are usually framed in moral terms rather than only behaviour policy language.

A more modern piece of culture-setting appears in the school’s approach to mobile phones. Local reporting describes a move to lockable pouches introduced at the start of the autumn term in 2025, intended to reduce distraction and improve social time. Whether families view that as firm, sensible, or restrictive often depends on the child, but it is a meaningful signal about the school’s priorities and willingness to set clear boundaries.

The current school opened on 01 September 2007 under its present character, following a change in religious designation. In practice, that date matters less as “heritage” and more as a reminder that the joint-faith model is a relatively modern, intentionally designed identity rather than a historic accident.

On the main secondary measures, outcomes sit close to the midpoint nationally. The school is ranked 2319th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), and 1st within the Heywood local area in the same ranking set.

Put simply, that England position places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). For parents, this usually means results that can support a wide range of next steps, but with less of the consistent, high-end grade profile seen in the top decile of England schools.

Looking at the underlying indicators: Attainment 8 is 46.8, which reflects achievement across eight subjects, with English and mathematics double weighted. Progress 8 is -0.32, which indicates that, on average, students make below-average progress from their starting points compared with similar pupils nationally.

The English Baccalaureate picture is mixed. The average EBacc point score is 4.0, and 6.7% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects measure shown. This is not a judgement on ambition in itself, but it does suggest that families who strongly prioritise a full EBacc pathway should look carefully at option structures and how the school guides subject choices at key stage 4.

If you are comparing options locally, the most effective way to do it is to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools so you can view the same measures side by side and keep like-for-like context across schools.

The most recent formal picture describes a well-structured curriculum with clear expectations for what students should learn and when. The 2022 inspection report highlights leaders’ attention to pupils’ progress through subjects and the way subject curricula are organised to build knowledge over time.

Reading support is a practical example of early identification and targeted response. The same report describes a focused approach to spotting students who find reading difficult and providing support designed to help them catch up quickly, so they can access learning across the wider curriculum.

On the “what does this look like day to day” question, the school website provides helpful departmental detail in some areas. Design and Technology is described as operating across four dedicated specialist spaces for Food, Textiles, Graphics and Product Design, supported by equipment such as laser cutting, sublimation printing and computer embroidery, alongside software including Solidworks and Adobe Photoshop. That sort of investment matters for students who learn best through making and iterating, and it can also be a confidence builder for those who are not purely exam-motivated.

Religious Education also signals a wider-enrichment approach, including external speakers and charity links referenced by the department as part of learning beyond lessons. In a joint-faith setting, RE tends to be a cultural anchor as much as a qualification subject, and the school’s own framing suggests it sees it in that broader role.

With no sixth form, most students will transition at 16 to further education colleges, apprenticeships, or training routes depending on their GCSE profile and interests. For families, the key question is not only “what are the destinations”, but also “how early does guidance begin, and how consistently does it reach all students”.

This is an area where the most recent inspection signalled improvement needed. The report describes careers education, information, advice and guidance as not yet fully effective for all pupils at the time, with some students wanting more timely information about available routes. The practical implication is straightforward: parents of students in Years 9 to 11 should ask to see how careers learning is structured by year group, how personal guidance is delivered, and how the school supports post-16 applications for both college and apprenticeships.

The school also references wider experiences that help students build a sense of direction, including leadership opportunities such as student council roles and engagement in charity work. These activities are not destinations data, but they do often correlate with stronger confidence at transition points.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Rochdale Council, with a parallel school process for families applying on faith grounds. The school states that families seeking a place on faith grounds must complete an online supplementary form and upload evidence, with that form available between 01 September 2025 and 31 October 2025 for the September 2026 intake.

Rochdale’s published timetable for Year 7 applications sets the wider deadlines clearly for September 2026 entry. The online system opens on Monday, 01 September 2025; the closing date is Friday, 31 October 2025; and national offer day is Monday, 02 March 2026.

The school’s published admission number is 150 for Year 7, and it explains that up to 75 places are prioritised for Roman Catholic children and up to 75 for Church of England children, reflecting its dual foundation. For families outside those categories, the school also notes that applications from other Christian churches, other faiths, and no faith are welcomed, with oversubscription criteria determining allocation when demand exceeds places.

Open events appear to follow a predictable pattern. The school’s open evening for the 2026 intake season is described as having taken place on Thursday, 02 October 2025, with an invitation for families who could not attend to arrange a visit. If you are planning for a future year, it is reasonable to expect an early autumn open event, but always confirm dates directly via the school’s current calendar.

Given the combination of a defined admissions process and a supplementary faith route, families benefit from being organised early. FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you keep your shortlist realistic when you are balancing faith criteria, travel, and other priorities across multiple schools.

A consistent theme in official commentary is that students feel safe and known. The 2022 inspection report describes pupils telling inspectors the school is a safe place where they learn well, alongside staff’s detailed knowledge of pupils as individuals.

Safeguarding is a headline reassurance for any parent, and this is an area where the most recent inspection is explicit. The report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective, and it describes a culture of safeguarding supported by staff awareness of risks and timely reporting of concerns.

Behaviour is described as positive in lessons, with pupils concentrating and learning without disruption. Social times are where the report identifies some inconsistency, describing low-level disruption among a minority at break and lunchtime and some punctuality issues, with leaders strengthening behaviour and rewards systems in response. For parents, the practical take-away is to ask how the updated expectations are reinforced across the day, not just inside classrooms, and what support exists for students who struggle with transitions.

The website’s structure also suggests a relatively comprehensive approach to student wellbeing topics, with a set of wellbeing themes signposted for students, including anxiety, low mood, and online safety. The presence of these pages is not proof of impact, but it does indicate the school is at least trying to give students accessible routes to support and guidance.

Extracurricular life here appears to be shaped around a mix of school-run clubs and a wider local enrichment model. A notable example is REACH, described as the Rochdale Enrichment Activity Hub, positioned as a way to help students find and access activities and build skills through those commitments. For some families this is a strength because it widens horizons beyond what a single school can staff internally. For others, it will raise a practical question about transport and timing for activities that take place off site.

Within school, there are clear examples of organised sport and participation. The school’s own news highlights a Year 7 badminton club focused on gameplay and skill development. There is also recent coverage of Year 7 girls’ football success, signalling competitive opportunities alongside participation sport.

Trips and wider experiences are referenced in the most recent inspection report as part of a “strong wider curriculum”, including clubs and visits and a residential trip to the Lake District. That kind of residential experience can be formative for confidence and independence, particularly for students who do not naturally volunteer for leadership roles.

Student leadership and responsibility also appear in formal commentary. The inspection report references representative roles such as membership of the school council, as well as involvement in charity work supported by the school. For parents, these opportunities matter because they often provide a quieter route to belonging for students who may not be driven by sport or performance.

The school day timings published for September 2025 indicate registration and form time beginning at 8.30am, with lessons running through to a 3.00pm finish, alongside scheduled break and lunch periods.

For transport, the school signposts a service operated via Transport for Greater Manchester, noting a morning service (433) and an evening return service (781), and it provides a dedicated school bus timetable for September 2025. Families who are not within easy walking distance should check how these services align with clubs and any after-school commitments.

As a secondary school, wraparound care is not typically a standard offer in the way it is in primary settings. The most useful practical step is to ask about supervised spaces before school, homework support, and arrangements for students waiting for later transport.

• Faith-based admissions route. Families applying on faith grounds must complete the supplementary form and provide evidence within the stated window. This is an extra administrative step alongside the Rochdale Council application timetable.

• Progress and consistency. Progress 8 is -0.32, which indicates below-average progress from starting points. Parents of students who need very strong academic momentum should explore how intervention and subject support are targeted across Years 7 to 11.

• Careers guidance needs scrutiny. The most recent inspection identified careers education and guidance as not yet consistently effective for all pupils at that time. Ask what has changed since, and how personal guidance is delivered for Year 10 and Year 11 students.

• Social-time behaviour. Lessons are described as calm and focused, but break and lunchtime behaviour was flagged as less consistent for a minority. For some students this will be a non-issue, for others it is worth exploring during visits and parent conversations.

This is a locally established joint-faith secondary that prioritises values, clear boundaries, and a broad student experience alongside day-to-day learning. Academic outcomes sit around the England midpoint overall, with a strong local position, and the most recent inspection points to a school with many positive foundations alongside specific areas to strengthen, particularly careers guidance and consistency at social times.

Best suited to families who actively want a dual Roman Catholic and Church of England setting, and who value a structured approach to culture, wellbeing and day-to-day expectations, while engaging closely with the school to make sure individual academic progress stays on track.