Levenshulme High School Review 2026: Outstanding girls’ secondary in Levenshulme

Levenshulme High School is a large, girls-only secondary serving students aged 11 to 16 in south Manchester. The tone is ambitious and purposeful, with a strong emphasis on values-led conduct and leadership opportunities. The school sits within the Greater Manchester Education Trust, and its public-facing messaging consistently ties achievement to a shared culture of responsibility and kindness.

A notable recent development is leadership change. Mr Fair joined as Headteacher in January 2026, framing the role as the next chapter for an already high-achieving school.

The most recent inspection outcome confirms that the headline judgement remains firmly positive. The latest Ofsted report was published in July 2022 following an inspection in June 2022, and it states that the school continues to be Outstanding.

This is a school that puts values to work in daily routines, rather than treating them as background branding. Co-operative values are set out clearly, and the language is practical rather than abstract: self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, solidarity, and equity. In student terms, that translates into a culture where leadership roles are normalised, and participation is expected rather than reserved for a small group.

The leadership strand is unusually structured for a mainstream 11 to 16 school. Students can take on defined leadership roles for at least a year, and there is also an inclusive programme described as open to all, with staged challenges that build habits such as organisation and independence. For families who value personal development that is more than a once-a-year workshop, this matters because it creates repetition and reinforcement, not a one-off initiative.

The physical footprint also carries some identity. Historic England’s archive records the school site as a 1930s design, attributed to James B. Brez in his role supporting Manchester’s education committee, which places the school within a recognisable civic-build tradition for the city. A separate thread of the school’s story is its earlier opening, with historical accounts recording the school opening in 1929.

On outcomes, the school’s GCSE profile sits above England average on FindMySchool’s measures, with the ranking placing it within the top quarter of schools in England. Ranked 953rd in England and 17th in Manchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance is strong in a competitive urban local authority context.

The Progress 8 score of 0.91 is the headline indicator that students tend to make significantly more progress than pupils with similar starting points across England, which is often what parents mean when they ask whether a school “adds value”. The Attainment 8 score is 52.6, providing a solid overall benchmark of GCSE achievement across the standard subject slots.

At EBacc level, 31.2% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc pillars, and the average EBacc point score is 4.93. The latter is above the England average of 4.08, indicating that where students do take the EBacc suite, outcomes are generally strong.

The school frames curriculum as both broad and deliberately ordered. The most recent inspection describes a carefully sequenced curriculum, with subject leaders encouraged to align learning across disciplines so that students make connections rather than treating subjects as isolated silos.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority rather than a Key Stage 3-only initiative. Formal assessment and targeted support for students who struggle with reading, including students learning English as an additional language, is described as systematic and consistent. The practical implication is that students who arrive in Year 7 behind their peers are more likely to receive targeted intervention quickly, rather than being left to drift.

Creative and practical subjects are positioned as part of the school’s core identity, not an add-on. The prospectus describes a distinctive Year 7 “Dream Day” structure, where students spend a full day each week rotating through art, drama, design technology, music and religious education around identity-linked themes. That is a particular fit for students who learn well through extended project-style blocks, and for families who want practical subjects protected from timetable squeeze.

Support for students with SEND is described as integrated into day-to-day teaching, with a specialist inclusion team alongside subject specialists. The Ofsted report also highlights ambition for pupils with SEND and the way staff identify needs and adapt curriculum access over time.

As an 11 to 16 school, the destination question is mainly about post-16 progression. The school’s public materials emphasise preparation for the next stage, and the admissions policy refers to partnership with post-16 providers, with guidance delivered through events and published information.

For families, the key practical step is to ask how the school supports decision-making in Year 9 options and Year 11 transitions. In a school of this size, a structured approach tends to matter: students benefit when careers education is planned across the year rather than left to ad hoc assemblies. The school’s own language leans into leadership, reading, and personal development as transferable foundations for post-16 pathways, which usually suits students aiming for a broad range of sixth-form and college routes rather than one narrow track.

Applications for Year 7 places are made via Manchester City Council, rather than directly to the school.

The published Year 7 intake for each September is 220 students, which is useful context when judging competitiveness, especially for families relocating into Manchester.

For September 2026 entry, the Manchester coordinated admissions round opened on 01 July 2025 and the on-time deadline was 31 October 2025. Offers for secondary places are typically made on 01 March, and the school’s trust admissions policy references that timing for offers in the normal round.

Oversubscription is handled through published criteria, with distance used as a tie-breaker within categories, and a defined approach where applicants with equal distance may be separated by random allocation. For families hoping that “being near-ish” will be enough, this is the point to be rigorous: use FindMySchool’s Map Search to measure your home-to-school distance consistently and compare it with prior allocation patterns, then treat it as risk management rather than certainty.

Open events matter for fit, particularly for Year 6 families deciding between several strong local options. The council’s listing for the school shows that open evenings are typically scheduled in September, which fits the standard pattern for secondary admissions.

Behaviour and culture are presented as strengths with clear routines behind them. Inspectors highlighted that students feel safe and that behaviour is exceptional, with rare bullying incidents reported as addressed quickly.

Pastoral structures are described as layered. Students have a form tutor as first point of contact, with additional year-group pastoral roles referenced in school materials, and leadership opportunities positioned as a route to responsibility and belonging rather than status.

The school day structure also supports wellbeing in practical ways. Breakfast is available in the morning, and the learning resource centre is open after school, which provides a supervised, study-friendly space for students who benefit from staying on site to complete homework.

Extracurricular provision is wide, but it is also granular and accessible. The published timetable includes before-school homework support in the library, and multiple lunchtime clubs that suit students who prefer short, consistent slots rather than long after-school commitments.

For academic and enrichment interests, examples include Debate Club, Maths Board Games, Reading Club, GeoGuessr, and structured homework clubs. These matter because they signal a school that treats enrichment as part of academic habits, not purely entertainment. Students who enjoy quiet, structured activities have obvious entry points, and that can make the transition to Year 7 less daunting.

Sport and physical activity are present in varied formats. The timetable lists activities such as outdoor badminton, handball, dodgeball, fitness sessions, and inclusion sports. The implication is choice: students who want competitive team sport can find it, but students who prefer recreation or confidence-building routes are not forced into one mould.

Drama is also visible as a pillar, with rehearsals and clubs running through the week, and the school’s news feed highlights major productions staged across multiple evenings.

The school day is clearly set out. Gates open at 07:30; form time starts at 08:30; the compulsory day ends at 15:00, followed by extracurricular activities and supervised study space in the learning resource centre, with students expected to leave the site by 17:00.

Food service is organised by year group across named spaces, with different access arrangements for Years 7 to 9 and Years 10 to 11.

Transport arrangements are not described in detail in the school’s published travel page. Families usually find it helpful to test the journey at school-run time, particularly where multiple bus options exist and punctuality expectations are firm.

• Leadership transition. Mr Fair joined as Headteacher in January 2026. Leadership changes can be positive, but families may want to understand what will stay consistent and what will be refreshed across behaviour, curriculum priorities, and pastoral systems.

• Large-school experience. With a published Year 7 intake of 220, the scale supports breadth of clubs and opportunities, but some students prefer smaller settings. Families should ask how Year 7 is organised day-to-day, including tutor structures and transition support.

• Academic ambition is real. A Progress 8 score of 0.91 usually comes with high expectations around attendance, punctuality, and consistent homework habits. That suits many students, but those who need a slower ramp-up may require stronger structure at home in the first term.

• Open evenings are time-sensitive. The Year 7 admissions cycle runs early, with open events typically in September and the deadline in late October. If you miss the window, you can still apply, but you will be making decisions with less first-hand information.

Levenshulme High School combines strong outcomes with a distinctive values-led identity that is visible in leadership opportunities, behaviour culture, and day-to-day routines. The academic profile suggests students tend to make very strong progress from their starting points, and the wider offer includes a practical mix of study support, enrichment clubs, and sport.

Best suited to families who want an all-girls environment with clear expectations, structured opportunities for leadership, and a school day that supports study beyond 15:00 when needed. For many families, the limiting factor is not the quality of education, it is managing the admissions process early and realistically.