Audenshaw School Review 2026: A values-led boys’ secondary with improving practice and strong structure

Clear routines, a strong emphasis on respect, and a practical focus on readiness for the next stage shape day-to-day life here. The school’s stated values, Respect, Responsibility and Resilience, are not just branding; they are used as behavioural and cultural reference points across the school day, and students are expected to follow consistent standards.

Leadership has also moved into a new phase. Miss H Eckhardt took up the Principal role on 01 September 2025, following an announced handover at the end of the previous academic year.

Academically, the school sits below England average for GCSE outcomes in the FindMySchool rankings, with progress broadly in line with national patterns. The clearest strengths are organisational: ambition is evident, safeguarding is described as effective, and students report strong relationships with staff.

A boys-only setting often brings a particular energy, and the best versions of it are purposeful rather than chaotic. Here, the tone is set by expectation and routine. Students are taught to use polite forms of address and to take pride in presentation, and the transition materials make it explicit that uniform and conduct are treated as foundational habits rather than superficial rules.

The values framework has real operational weight. Respect, Responsibility and Resilience appear as guiding language for behaviour, relationships, and personal development. That matters because values only influence culture when they are consistently referenced, and students can explain what they mean in practice.

The atmosphere is also shaped by a strong pastoral spine. The published safeguarding roles list multiple deputy safeguarding leads and clear named responsibilities across student support, behaviour, attendance, and inclusion. For families, that signals a school that has built capacity into its safeguarding and pastoral systems rather than relying on a single individual to carry risk.

Leadership change can unsettle a school or sharpen it. In this case, the appointment of Miss H Eckhardt was communicated as a deliberate next step, with the Chair of Trustees framing it as a new chapter and confirming her start date for the beginning of the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

A practical implication for parents is to look for continuity in routines and teaching expectations during this phase. The published staffing structure suggests that vice principals and assistant principals cover core school functions (standards, personal development, behaviour, and inclusion), which usually helps maintain consistency through leadership transition.

Audenshaw is a state-funded secondary with no sixth form, so the main published performance lens is GCSE and Key Stage 4 outcomes. In the FindMySchool GCSE rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,804th in England and 61st in Manchester for GCSE outcomes. This places outcomes below England average, within the lower two-fifths of schools in England on this measure.

Looking at the headline metrics provided, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 44.5, and the Progress 8 score is -0.06. For parents, the key distinction is that Attainment 8 reflects overall GCSE outcomes, while Progress 8 estimates how much progress students make from the end of primary school to GCSE, relative to similar starting points. A Progress 8 score close to zero typically indicates broadly typical progress, with negative values suggesting slightly less progress than peers with similar prior attainment.

EBacc outcomes are mixed on the published indicators. The school’s average EBacc APS score is 3.6, suggesting that students’ outcomes across the EBacc suite are an area where families should look closely at subject-level support and option guidance, particularly for languages.

One important contextual point is trajectory. The most recent inspection describes a curriculum that has been redesigned with clear sequencing and ambition, alongside an increased focus on literacy and reading. When schools are improving curriculum design and assessment practice, it is common for headline outcomes to take time to catch up.

If you are comparing local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing nearby schools’ Progress 8 and Attainment 8 side-by-side, rather than relying on reputation alone.

The strongest thread in published evidence is curriculum intent and structure. The most recent inspection report describes an ambitious curriculum, careful sequencing of knowledge, and a broad subject range at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

The practical implication is that students are less likely to experience a fragmented curriculum where topics feel disconnected, which is particularly important in a secondary setting where subject specialism increases rapidly from Year 7 onwards.

Assessment is identified as an uneven area. In most subjects, approaches to checking learning are described as aligned with the school’s newer strategies, but a smaller number of subjects are flagged as less consistent in identifying misconceptions and gaps.

For parents, the right question is not whether assessments exist, but whether students receive timely correction and targeted reteaching when misunderstandings appear. You can probe this in subject-specific conversations at events or meetings, especially for core subjects and any areas your child finds challenging.

Literacy is treated as a priority, both through reading support and broader literacy development. The inspection report describes a strategy to strengthen literacy and improve reading teaching, with effective support for most students who find reading difficult, although some students (including at Key Stage 4) are noted as not consistently receiving the precise support they need.

That matters because reading fluency is the access key for almost every GCSE subject. Families with children who have weaker reading stamina should ask what screening and catch-up support looks like from Year 7 onwards, and how intervention is sustained into Key Stage 4 where needed.

SEND identification and classroom support are described as prompt and effective, with staff provided with information to support students across subjects.

The implication is that support is not confined to a single department, it is intended to travel with the student into lessons. Parents of students with additional needs should still ask how that information is shared, and how adjustments are monitored term by term.

Facilities also support the teaching model. Transition materials list 11 science rooms, six specialist design and technology rooms (including two for food technology), and nine information technology suites.

That scale matters because it increases the likelihood of specialist teaching in practical subjects, reduces timetable bottlenecks, and typically supports a wider Key Stage 4 offer.

Where Students Go Next

With no sixth form on site, the most relevant outcomes are what happens after Year 11. The school’s careers programme is described as highly effective, and progression to employment, education or training is reported as the norm for almost all students.

For families, that translates into two practical expectations: structured guidance (so students understand routes such as sixth form, college, and apprenticeships), and hands-on support with applications and choices during Year 10 and Year 11.

Transition guidance for younger students also highlights early organisation habits: planning homework, building balanced routines, and using school systems for assignments and communication.

This is more significant than it looks. In schools serving 11 to 16, the quality of organisation and guidance often shapes Key Stage 4 outcomes as much as raw teaching quality, particularly for students who need structure to stay on track.

Audenshaw is a state school with no tuition fees. Entry is not selective by ability or aptitude; it is an 11 to 16 boys’ secondary.

For September 2026 entry, the local authority coordinated deadline is 31 October 2025. Offers are issued on 02 March 2026 (the local authority publishes this as the national offer day timing for secondary transfer).

The admissions policy document also confirms a published admission number of 210 places for Year 7 entry.

Demand indicators suggest competition for places. The most recent demand data available indicates an oversubscribed picture, with 419 applications recorded against 205 offers, implying a meaningful level of competition. In practical terms, families should treat admission as uncertain unless their circumstances align well with the oversubscription criteria used by the admissions authority.

Because distance figures vary year to year, it is sensible to check your likely priority position early, especially if you are moving house. FindMySchool’s Map Search can help families understand their distance positioning relative to the school site before relying on an application strategy.

Open events and tours are not always published far in advance in a way that stays current for a full admissions cycle. If specific open day dates for 2026 entry are not listed at the point you check, contact the school directly or monitor the school calendar for updated event listings.

The school’s pastoral structure is clearly documented, with named leads for safeguarding, attendance and pastoral support, student mental health leadership, and inclusion.

That breadth matters because schools with distributed pastoral responsibility can respond faster, and can provide continuity when staff are absent.

The school also signals explicit provision for student support in transition materials, including mental health first aiders, counselling, bereavement support, access to a mental health support worker, and a school nurse.

Parents should treat this as an indicator of available pathways rather than a guarantee of immediate access, and ask how referrals work, what waiting times look like, and how support is coordinated with families.

The most recent Ofsted report states that safeguarding arrangements are effective, and describes staff training and awareness of local risks, including online safety and risks linked to serious youth violence.

For parents, the implication is that the school treats safeguarding as an active discipline, not a compliance checkbox, and that students are taught risk awareness explicitly rather than indirectly.

Behaviour is described as calm and purposeful, supported by clear routines and consistent application.

That typically benefits students who can be distracted by disorder, and it can also be particularly important in a boys-only setting where corridor culture often determines whether learning time is protected.

The published extracurricular programme is notably specific and wide-ranging, with “over 40 activities” listed across lunchtime and after-school slots.

What matters is not only the count but the variety and the distinct identity of options.

There is a clear blend of academic support, enrichment, and interest-led clubs. Examples include Astronomy Club (including Astronomy GCSE), Dungeons & Dragons Club, Latin Club, Allotment Club, Library Club, and Student Literacy Leaders.

The implication for students is choice. A student who wants a quiet interest-based space can find one, while a student who benefits from structured academic reinforcement can access it through subject support sessions and homework provision.

Sport is also well represented, including year-group timetabled access to the sports hall and gym at lunchtime, and multiple after-school options such as rugby, football, running club, badminton, basketball, and weight training.

The practical benefit is routine physical activity across the week rather than sport being limited to the most committed athletes.

Facilities support this breadth. The transition guide describes a fully equipped sports hall, a professional-standard gym, and an all-weather pitch, alongside extensive specialist spaces for science, design and technology, and computing.

For families, this matters because good extracurricular participation often depends on space, staffing, and timetable capacity. Where these exist, uptake tends to be more sustainable, particularly for younger students.

There is one caveat worth keeping in mind. The most recent inspection notes that while many pupils participate in after-school and weekend opportunities, the overall range and uptake was not broad enough at that point in time.

Since the school now publishes a detailed weekly offer with a wide spread of activities, parents may reasonably explore whether participation has broadened and how the school encourages take-up beyond sport.

The school day begins at 8.20am, with form time and assembly running to 8.45am, and the end of the day at 2.40pm, with a later start of 8.40am for all students every Wednesday.

As a secondary school, there is no published breakfast or after-school wraparound care model in the same way a primary might offer. If you need supervised early drop-off or late collection, it is best to ask what is currently available and whether any provision is limited to particular year groups or circumstances.

Transport-wise, families typically use walking, cycling, buses, or public transport, and the school’s transition materials encourage families to practise the journey in advance where it will be new.

If cycling is planned, the school sets expectations around permission and safety (including helmet use), which is helpful for families aiming for independent travel from Year 7.

As with most state secondaries, day-to-day costs are mainly around uniform, lunches, trips, and optional activities. Uniform expectations are clearly set, and families should budget for a full set that meets the school’s standards.

• Outcomes sit below England average on GCSE measures. The FindMySchool ranking places the school in the lower two-fifths of schools in England for GCSE outcomes. Families with highly academic profiles may want to compare local alternatives carefully using Progress 8 and Attainment 8, not reputation alone.

• Assessment consistency is still an improvement lever. Published evidence highlights that in a smaller number of subjects, misconceptions and gaps are not always identified quickly enough. For some students, that can translate into uneven experiences across departments.

• Reading catch-up needs close attention for weaker readers. The school prioritises literacy, but evidence indicates that some students who need targeted reading support do not always receive the precise help required, including in Key Stage 4. If reading stamina is a concern, ask early what screening, intervention, and monitoring look like.

• Oversubscription adds uncertainty. Demand indicators and published admissions arrangements suggest competition for places. Families should plan for realistic contingencies rather than assuming a place will be secured.

Audenshaw School offers a structured, values-driven education for boys from 11 to 16, with clear routines, a strong pastoral framework, and facilities that support both practical learning and a broad extracurricular offer. The current picture is of a school that has strengthened curriculum design and culture, while still needing to lift consistency and outcomes across subjects.

Who it suits: families seeking a boys-only secondary with strong behavioural expectations, visible pastoral systems, and an emphasis on personal development and readiness for post-16 routes. The main trade-off is that GCSE outcomes sit below England average on the FindMySchool measure, so families prioritising top-end attainment should compare options carefully.