Lostock High School Review 2026: A mixed 11-16 in Stretford

On Selby Road in Stretford, Lostock High School runs a hybrid library that opens to students from 8am, then switches to a public-facing offer in the afternoon. It is a small detail with a big implication: this is a school that puts literacy, routine and community connection right on the daily timetable.

Lostock High School is a state secondary school for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 in Manchester, Greater Manchester, with a published capacity of 740. The most recent Ofsted inspection rated the school Good. There is no sixth form, so every student makes a planned move at 16, which brings careers guidance and transition support into sharper focus than in 11 to 18 schools.

The tone is set by how explicitly the school talks about safety, respect and difference. That matters in a mixed 11 to 16: if relationships are handled well, learning is calmer, corridors are less combustible, and students who find school socially demanding are more likely to keep turning up and engaging.

Leadership is clearly structured, with Mrs Lindsay Brindley named as headteacher. The culture described is one of high expectations without constant drama: behaviour is framed as something staff address quickly, so lessons stay focused and students are not left to negotiate low-level disruption themselves.

A distinctive feature is the on-site specially resourced provision for 16 students whose primary need is autism spectrum disorder. For families weighing specialist support within a mainstream setting, that is significant. It signals a school used to adapting curriculum access, building independence, and helping students join wider school life in a way that feels ordinary rather than exceptional.

GCSE results

Results paint a demanding picture, and it is best understood through three lenses: outcomes, progress, and subject breadth.

Ranked 3062nd in England and 68th in Manchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), Lostock sits below the England average overall. The average Attainment 8 score is 38.4, and the Progress 8 score is -0.73. Put plainly, that Progress 8 figure indicates students, on average, make less progress from their starting points than similar students nationally. For parents, it is a cue to look past simple labels and ask sharper questions: how consistent is teaching across subjects, how quickly gaps are spotted, and what happens for students who arrive behind in reading?

The EBacc detail helps with that. The average EBacc APS score is 3.43, compared with an England average of 4.08, and 9.8% of students achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects. That combination suggests a cohort where securing solid passes across the core academic suite is a key challenge, and where the school’s approach to literacy, attendance and classroom focus will matter as much as option choices.

Parents comparing local schools can use FindMySchool’s comparison tools to view these GCSE indicators side by side, then narrow questions for open evenings and transition meetings.

Teaching is described as structured, with clear sequencing of what students learn and when. That is a practical advantage in a school working to improve outcomes: when subject teams agree the order of knowledge, students are less likely to experience a patchwork of topics that never quite adds up.

Retrieval and routine are emphasised across subjects. In mathematics, revisiting number facts and methods is used to build fluency rather than relying on last-minute revision. Assessment is also treated as an active part of teaching, with checking for misunderstandings and adapting plans accordingly, which matters most for students who can appear to be coping while quietly building misconceptions.

The homework pattern reinforces that sense of steady accumulation. In Key Stage 3, English, mathematics and science are set weekly, languages are weekly, and foundation subjects rotate through fortnightly tasks, while arts subjects often work through longer projects. For many families, that balance is a relief: enough rhythm for habits to form, but not a nightly pile-up across every subject at once.

Because Lostock is 11 to 16, the “next step” is not a continuation but a change. The school’s role is to get students ready for a fresh setting at 16, whether that is a sixth form, a further education college, or a training route linked to employment. This is where strong guidance makes a measurable difference: students who understand the full range of options choose better-fitting courses and are more likely to sustain attendance through the demanding final months of Year 11.

The picture presented is that older students receive advice designed to help them make informed decisions, while younger students benefit when careers and aspiration work starts early and feels concrete. For families with a child who needs a longer runway for confidence, it is worth asking how careers learning is built through Years 7 to 9, not just what happens in Year 11.

Routes and criteria

Admissions are coordinated through Trafford, and Lostock is a non-selective community school. Demand is real: 151 applications for 91 offers, which is about 1.66 applications per place. That ratio will not feel extreme in the way some parts of Trafford can be, but it is enough to make outcomes depend on how the oversubscription criteria play out in a given year.

That practical point matters because families sometimes behave as if a “local” school is automatically secure. Here, it is safer to think in terms of probability, not assumption, and to name realistic alternatives on the application form.

Timeline and practicalities

The Trafford secondary admissions timeline follows the national rhythm, with applications closing in late October and offers issued on national offer day in early March. Some schools also require supplementary forms (most commonly for faith-based criteria), so families should check what is needed early and avoid treating paperwork as an afterthought.

If you are weighing a move, FindMySchool’s map-based distance tools can help you sanity-check proximity before you build plans around a single outcome.

Pastoral support is not presented as a bolt-on. There is a dedicated welfare strand, and students who are struggling with friendships, anxiety around exams, or bereavement are signposted towards help through form tutors, heads of year and a wider support team. Counselling and access to a school nurse are referenced as part of the support offer, which is important in an 11 to 16 where early adolescent pressures can escalate quickly.

Attendance and punctuality are treated as a serious priority, with clear expectations around morning registration and the start of lessons. This matters because the students most at risk of weaker outcomes are often the same ones whose attendance wobbles first. A school that tightens routines, then backs them with pastoral follow-up, can shift trajectories without turning the day into a constant telling-off.

SEND support is also part of the pastoral story. The resourced provision, alongside mainstream teaching adaptations, points to a setting used to a range of needs, and to building independence so that support does not become a permanent crutch.

Clubs & enrichment

Clubs are not framed as decoration. They are described as part of students’ wider development, with accessible options such as chess and coding alongside sport and music. For some students, especially those who find the classroom high-pressure, a club can be the place they first feel competent and seen, which then carries back into learning.

The library offer adds weight here. Opening from early in the day and staying available into the afternoon creates a quiet, purposeful space that can work as a homework base, a reading habit-builder, or simply a calmer alternative to drifting around after school.

Culture, arts and sport

A school with dedicated staffing across performing arts, music, art and physical education can create breadth without trying to do everything at once. For families, the most useful question is not “how many clubs exist?” but “how consistently do students attend, and who turns up?” A programme that is reliably staffed and predictable often supports more participation than a long list that changes week to week.

Transport & parking

Public transport is a realistic part of the daily logistics here. Bee Network information lists nearby stops and services, including routes 25 and 256 near Lostock Clinic, and route 254 near Humphrey Park Station. Humphrey Park Station is also referenced as a nearby rail option, which can help families who are not within walking distance.

Selby Road is in a residential area, so drop-off by car can feel tight at peak times. A plan that mixes walking with public transport, rather than relying on door-to-door driving, is often the calmer choice.

The school day

The timetabled day starts with form time at 8.30am and lessons from 8.45am. Finish time is 2.10pm on Monday and 2.55pm Tuesday to Friday, which can be helpful for some families planning appointments, part-time work, or after-school commitments.

Academic progress needs focus: The Progress 8 score of -0.73 points to a school where raising progress is the central task. Families should ask how catch-up is delivered for students behind in reading, and how consistency is secured across subjects.

A competitive admissions pattern: With 151 applications for 91 offers (about 1.66 applications per place), securing a place is not automatic. Naming sensible alternatives is the most practical form of stress reduction.

No sixth form on site: The move at 16 suits students who like a fresh start and a wider course menu. It can be harder for those who thrive on continuity, so early planning around post-16 routes matters.

SEND support with a specialist strand: The on-site resourced provision for 16 students with autism spectrum disorder is a significant asset, but families should still explore how support works day to day, particularly the balance between specialist provision and mainstream inclusion.

Lostock High School is a community-focused 11 to 16 with clear routines, a strong pastoral strand, and a notable specialist resourced provision alongside mainstream education. Outcomes and progress measures show a school with work to do academically, but with the structural elements that can support improvement: curriculum sequencing, targeted reading support, and expectations around behaviour and attendance.

Best suited to families seeking a non-selective local secondary in Stretford with a clear pastoral framework and inclusive SEND capacity. Competition for places is the limiting factor, so the strongest applications are the ones that plan calmly for more than one possible outcome.