The Barlow RC High School and Specialist Science College Review 2026: A Catholic, inclusive 11 to 16 with strong wellbeing systems

Morning routines begin early here, with pupils arriving from 8:15am and the official day starting at 8:30am. The earlier finish, 2:55pm, can be a practical advantage for families managing travel and after school commitments, but it also means co-curricular planning matters if you want your child to stay beyond the bell.

Academically, results sit in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Ranked 1,210th in England and 23rd in Manchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), this is a school where progress is slightly above average, with a Progress 8 score of 0.12. GCSE Attainment 8 is 50.6.

Leadership is clearly identified and visible. Ms C Wallace is the headteacher, and the most recent inspection confirms this is a good school with effective safeguarding.

The distinctiveness is not just the Catholic character, it is the practical way inclusion is structured. A dedicated Resource Provision supports 16 pupils with autism, designed as an inclusive hub within the main school.

The school presents itself as a Catholic community that welcomes pupils of all faiths and none, and it frames day to day life around four core values: Serve, Pray, Achieve, Respect. In practice, that combination tends to shape expectations around conduct, service and relationships, alongside a straightforward emphasis on learning.

Pastoral language is unusually detailed on the school’s published materials, which often signals that systems are formalised rather than left to individual staff style. The wellbeing team structure is named, with designated leads and a set of pupil mental health first aiders, plus access to a CAMHS Education Mental Health Practitioner and a school nurse practitioner. For families who want clear routes for escalation, this kind of published clarity is reassuring.

The school also makes a point of giving students multiple ways to ask for help, including confidential reporting. The Sharp System is explicitly referenced as a way for students to report bullying anonymously.

A final part of the school’s identity is that it is relatively modern as Catholic secondaries go. It was established in 1985, so much of the story is about building consistent culture, curriculum and support structures, rather than trading on Victorian heritage.

The headline picture is steady and broadly mid band for England, with signs of positive momentum. Ranked 1,210th in England and 23rd in Manchester for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance reflects solid outcomes in the context of an inclusive comprehensive intake. This places the school in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

On headline measures, GCSE Attainment 8 is 50.6. Progress 8 is 0.12, which indicates students make slightly above average progress from their starting points by the end of Year 11.

The English Baccalaureate indicators are mixed, which is typical for a school balancing breadth and inclusion with a realistic options model. The average EBacc APS is 4.56, above the England average of 4.08. Twenty-five point 3% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.

Inspection evidence supports a picture of calm routines and positive behaviour, with reading and access to books referenced as visible strengths. The June 2024 inspection confirmed the school remains good and that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For parents comparing options locally, the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool can help place this school’s GCSE measures side by side with nearby alternatives, using the same data definitions.

Curriculum coverage is broad across the usual core and foundation subjects, with subject areas clearly structured and publicly signposted. The school site describes curriculum “learning journeys” in some departments, for example science routes through Combined Science and Triple Science, which suggests sequencing has been thought through rather than left as a scheme of work file.

The most useful teaching and learning insight from the latest official evidence is not a generic compliment, it is the improvement priority. The inspection identified that some teachers do not spot or address gaps in knowledge quickly enough, which can slow how securely pupils remember and build on what they have learned. That is a very specific lever; families asking questions at open events can probe how assessment is used day to day, and how the school ensures consistency across departments.

Support for students who need it appears to be structured, not informal. The senior team includes an inclusion lead who is also the designated safeguarding lead and SENDCo, and the published staff structure shows both mainstream and specialist roles integrated into leadership rather than separated out.

Because the school is 11 to 16, the main “destinations” story is about post 16 education and training. The school publishes a clear breakdown for destination information: for Destination Information 2024, 88.70% progressed to post 16 education, 6.78% went into employment, 0.57% into training, and 3.95% were recorded as NEET.

It also names key pathways from the 2023 leavers, which is more useful than generic claims. Reported destinations include Xaverian College (44%), The Trafford and Stockport College Group (15%), LTE Group (13%), and Loreto College (11%), alongside smaller proportions to Aquinas College and Access to Music. For families weighing “academic sixth form versus technical route”, this indicates that both are common outcomes.

Careers education is positioned as personalised, with an impartial careers adviser and a transition programme planned with parents and other professionals. The June 2024 inspection also notes the school meets provider access requirements, which matters for students who benefit from understanding apprenticeships and technical routes earlier rather than defaulting to one pathway.

Admissions are coordinated through the local authority, but the school uses its own admission rules as a voluntary aided Catholic school. Practically, that means faith based criteria and parish and partner primary relationships play a meaningful part in priority, while still allowing families of other faiths, or no faith, to apply and be considered.

The published admissions policy (2026 to 2027) sets out a priority order that begins with looked after and previously looked after children. It then prioritises baptised Roman Catholic children in named parishes who attend associated Catholic primaries, followed by baptised Roman Catholic children with a sibling at the school, then other baptised Roman Catholic children, then non baptised children with a sibling, then children with exceptional medical or social needs, children of staff, and finally other children seeking a Catholic education.

Geography still matters. Where categories are oversubscribed, the policy states priority is given by proximity, measured in a straight line using the local authority’s measuring system. The policy also makes clear that evidence can be requested in relation to baptism, sibling links, and address, and that waiting lists are held in criteria order rather than first come, first served.

For September 2026 entry, the school states that the deadline for applications is 31 October 2025. It also lists an open evening on Thursday 2 October 2025.

Manchester’s application round information adds helpful context: the application round for September 2026 entry opened on 1 July 2025, and the council notes that late applications may receive offers after 2 March 2026 rather than on the usual timeline.

Given the faith and proximity dimensions, families should use FindMySchoolMap Search to check realistic travel time and to understand how distance may interact with the school’s criteria in years of high demand.

This is one of the clearest strengths in the school’s published material. The wellbeing page identifies a structured set of named roles, including a senior mental health and wellbeing lead, a safeguarding team, pupil mental health first aiders, and links to external support. It also states the school has achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools and won the Wellbeing Award in the Manchester Evening News school awards 2022 (in partnership with One Education).

Pastoral support is also tied to safeguarding reporting and anti bullying systems. Students are directed to multiple reporting routes, including trusted adults and anonymous channels, and the school highlights a zero tolerance stance on bullying and discriminatory behaviour.

Inclusion is not framed as an add on. The Resource Provision for 16 pupils with autism is described as intentionally located at the centre of the school, to support access to mainstream curriculum and subject specialist teaching while providing intensive support from trained staff. It began working with pupils in September 2022 and was officially opened in February 2023 by Bishop John Arnold, as part of a million pound building project undertaken with Manchester City Council and the Diocese of Salford.

The latest inspection also notes the school uses alternative education providers and has a resourced provision for pupils with autism, which reinforces that inclusion is a structural feature of the school rather than a messaging line.

Co-curricular life is unusually well documented, which is helpful because it shows what is actually scheduled rather than what is theoretically possible. The published clubs list for 2025 to 2026 includes a mix of faith, inclusion, identity, academic and practical clubs. Named examples include Caritas Ambassadors (application or invite only), Rosary Club, Friends of Dorothy, STEM, Coding Club, ECO Warriors, Dungeons and Dragons, Creative Writing, Chess Club, and a Language Exchange Club.

Sport is similarly scheduled with specificity. The winter timetable shows regular lunchtime and after school opportunities including table tennis and badminton, basketball, netball, rugby, football practice, trampolining, tennis and cricket, plus fixtures.

The practical implication for families is that pupils who want structure after the early finish have options that are already timetabled. For pupils who need encouragement to join in, the existence of lunchtime clubs, not only after school sessions, can be the difference between participating and not participating.

There is also an explicit link between co-curricular planning and administration, with EVOLVE referenced as the system used to manage clubs, visits and parental consent.

The school opens for pupils from 8:15am to 8:30am, with the official start at 8:30am and the official end of the day at 2:55pm (32 hours 5 minutes weekly).

Transport information is detailed and practical. The school signposts local bus services and concessionary fares, and notes that pupils aged 11 to 16 need an IGO pass to access concessionary fares on buses. The IGO pass is listed as costing £10.

In location terms, East Didsbury and the surrounding south Manchester and Stockport border areas are the immediate draw. Families should factor in peak time congestion, especially if relying on buses, and consider how after school activities interact with routes home.

• Faith based admissions criteria. Priority in the admissions policy is structured around Catholic parish and partner primary links, with baptism evidence forming part of several criteria. This can be a strong fit for Catholic families; others should read the criteria carefully and be realistic about priority order.

• Improving assessment consistency. The most recent inspection identified that gaps in knowledge are not always spotted and addressed quickly enough by some teachers. Families may want to ask how the school is strengthening assessment practice across departments.

• Early finish requires planning. The 2:55pm end time is helpful for some, but it can be challenging for working parents unless co-curricular activities, travel and childcare are planned in advance.

• Resource Provision is specialised. The in school autism provision is designed for a specific group and requires an Education, Health and Care Plan naming it. Families seeking mainstream plus high support should explore how places are allocated and what the provision can and cannot offer.

This is a Catholic 11 to 16 that combines steady GCSE performance with unusually explicit wellbeing and inclusion structures. The results profile suggests solid outcomes, with slightly above average progress, and the published destinations indicate clear post 16 pathways into colleges, apprenticeships and employment. Best suited to families who value Catholic ethos, clear pastoral systems, and a school that makes inclusion visible through formal provision, while accepting that admissions criteria and local demand can shape the likelihood of entry.