St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, Manchester Review 2026: High-expectation church school with strong KS2 outcomes

Collective worship at 9.00am sets a clear tone for the day, and the school’s mission, work hard, dream big and never give up, is not treated as wallpaper. Alongside a Church of England identity, there is a strong emphasis on kindness, inclusion, and pupils taking responsibility as leaders, including through the school’s Agents of Change roles.

Academically, results are well above England averages at Key Stage 2. In 2024, 82% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, versus 62% across England.

This is a small, one-form-entry primary that aims to feel personal and structured at the same time. There is a clear church-school thread through daily routines, and it is closely tied to the school’s stated values and vision. The headteacher highlights Christian values including Respect, Friendship, Resilience, Forgiveness and Trust, underpinned by Love, and these themes show up repeatedly in how the school describes relationships and expectations.

Pupils are given meaningful responsibilities early. The school talks about pupils acting as leaders and role models, with formal roles designed to represent pupil voice and support the wider community. In practice, that includes structures such as the Ethos Council and Eco Council, and a broader Agents of Change framing that pushes beyond a traditional school council model.

Leadership has changed relatively recently. Miss Hannah Whiteside is the current headteacher, and her appointment date is recorded as 01 September 2023. For parents, the practical implication is that the school’s direction is being shaped by a head with a clear stated faith-and-values lens, while the academic results and inspection evidence show continuity rather than disruption.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are the headline strength. In 2024, 82% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. The England average is 62%, so this is a materially stronger result than the national picture.

Depth matters as well, not just the expected standard. At the higher standard, 25.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England benchmark of 8%. That gap is large and suggests the school is supporting a meaningful proportion of pupils to go beyond the basics, rather than concentrating solely on borderline thresholds.

Scaled scores add detail. Reading and maths are both 107, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 109. For families, this aligns with a school that prioritises core knowledge and routine practice, with enough consistency to lift outcomes across subjects.

In FindMySchool’s primary rankings (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,452nd in England and 45th in Manchester for primary outcomes. That sits above England average overall, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

The curriculum direction is strongly knowledge-led, with an explicit focus on pupils learning and retaining the “important knowledge” across subjects. The recent inspection evidence describes an ambitious curriculum with identified knowledge and language goals, and a consistent approach to checking what pupils remember over time.

Maths is a useful example of how this translates into classroom practice. The school uses White Rose Maths, explicitly linked to mastery principles and to building understanding through concrete, pictorial and abstract representations. The implication for parents is a structured approach that tends to suit pupils who benefit from carefully sequenced steps and regular practice, rather than fast-moving, loosely structured lessons.

Reading is treated as a priority, not as a bolt-on. The school sets clear home reading expectations for younger year groups, for example reading four times per week with short, focused sessions, and uses a consistent reward mechanism (ClassDojo) to reinforce habit formation. For many families, that clarity is helpful because it turns “support reading at home” into a concrete routine.

A fair note is that curriculum development is not equally mature in every subject. The latest inspection points to some subjects still bedding in, where the chosen explanations and activities do not consistently secure the most important learning for all pupils. For parents, the practical takeaway is to ask how subject leaders are supporting consistency outside the core, particularly if your child’s strengths sit in foundation subjects.

As a primary school, the key transition point is Year 7. Families apply through Bury’s coordinated admissions process for secondary transfer. For September 2026 entry, Bury’s published application window ran from 01 September 2025 to 31 October 2025.

Local secondary options within the local authority include Bury Church of England High School, Hazel Wood High School, The Derby High School, The Elton High School, and The Heys School, among others. Parents weighing a church-school throughline may also want to consider the ethos fit of faith secondaries alongside practicalities such as travel and friendship groups.

The school’s church-school inspection also references structured roles such as Year 6 supporting Reception buddies, which matters at transition because it develops confidence, responsibility, and communication skills before pupils move into a larger secondary setting.

Admissions are coordinated by Bury Local Authority, and the school is oversubscribed in the admissions data available here. There were 39 applications and 16 offers, equating to 2.44 applications for each place offered.

Oversubscription criteria follow the standard approach for community and voluntary controlled schools in Bury. Priority begins with children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, then looked-after and previously looked-after children, then siblings, then other children. Where there are more applicants than places within a category, places are allocated by straight-line distance measurement from home to school using the local authority mapping system, with random allocation used where distances are identical.

For Reception entry (September 2026 intake), Bury’s primary application window opened on 01 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026. Offer day is 16 April 2026. As of 27 January 2026, that deadline has passed, so late applicants should expect their application to be treated as late, with predictable implications for likelihood of securing first preference.

Because the dataset does not include a last distance offered for this school, distance-based planning needs care. If distance is a key factor for your family, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your home-to-school distance precisely, then treat it as one input alongside sibling priority and the wider local pattern of demand.

Pastoral support here is described as systematic rather than reactive. The school places wellbeing alongside achievement, and the church-school inspection emphasises a culture where pupils and adults feel valued, with strong relationships, reflection, and a visible emphasis on care, respect and encouragement.

Practical structures also matter. The school describes quick identification of additional needs and targeted support for pupils with SEND so they can access the full curriculum alongside peers. For parents, the implication is that support is positioned as enabling participation, not separating pupils out as a default.

Personal development is a named strength, with a focus on online safety, health, and respectful handling of differing opinions. One distinctive feature is the school’s use of HeartSmart, which is presented as a creative approach to PSHE and relationships education and includes a purpose-built character (Boris the robot) used to support emotional health and resilience learning.

The school does not treat pupil leadership as an add-on. The Ethos Council is one example, with pupils involved in activities such as writing prayers for collective worship, raising funds for charities, and acting as a voice for pupil ideas about school life. This is a practical route into confidence and public-speaking for pupils who may not be drawn to competitive sport.

Eco activity is also explicitly structured. There is an Eco Council and an Eco Club, and the school positions this work within a wider Agents of Change identity. The implication is that “eco” is not just occasional recycling posters; it is framed as leadership and community responsibility.

Sport is present, with external competition links rather than only lunchtime play. The school reports membership of local football leagues (PWJSA and BJSSA) and participation in a Bury sports cluster organising inter-school competitions. For pupils, this gives a route into representing the school in structured fixtures and tournaments, not just in-school games.

Wraparound provision connects to extracurricular life as well. Smarties, the out-of-school club, describes activities including arts and crafts, outdoor play, film club, homework club, dancing, and access to the school library. For working families, the implication is predictable childcare that still feels like part of school life rather than a separate provider.

The school day is clearly set out. Reception doors open at 8.40am, Key Stage 1 and 2 doors open at 8.45am, and collective worship is at 9.00am. Reception finishes at 3.20pm and Key Stage 1 and 2 finish at 3.30pm.

Wraparound care is available through Smarties. From September 2024, its published hours are 7.30am to 8.55am before school and 3.30pm to 5.30pm after school.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for typical costs such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

• Competition for places. Demand is higher than supply in the published admissions data, with 39 applications for 16 offers. If you are moving into the area, treat admission as uncertain unless you meet high-priority criteria.

• Distance allocation can be decisive. After looked-after children and siblings, places are allocated by straight-line distance, with random allocation used for ties. If proximity is a key part of your plan, measure it precisely and avoid assumptions based on map “walk time”.

• Curriculum consistency is still developing in some subjects. The latest inspection evidence suggests that, outside stronger areas, some subjects are earlier in development and not yet consistently securing knowledge for all pupils. Ask what improvement work is in place and how it is being checked.

• A strong Church of England identity. Daily worship and church-school language are integral. Families comfortable with this often find it coherent and reassuring; families seeking a more secular feel may want to probe how worship and values are experienced day-to-day.

This is a high-expectation, values-led primary where pupils are expected to take responsibility for their learning and for the community around them. Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are well above England averages, and the school culture is shaped around kindness, inclusion, and leadership roles for pupils.

Who it suits: families who want a Church of England primary with clear routines, strong reading and maths foundations, and a pupil leadership culture that runs through daily life. The main constraint is admission, competition for places is the limiting factor.