Overall Oxbridge
#1,701
1 ranked schools · -787 places vs Eng avg #914 of 1,983
Applications
12
Offers
1
Offer rate8.3%
-14.1 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 22.4%
Schools in Rochdale
The largest town in Greater Manchester's Pennine fringe, Rochdale grew from a Domesday-era settlement into a royal charter town and, by the 19th century, a driving force in textile manufacturing and cooperative trade. The River Roch cuts the valley floor, giving the town both its name and its distinctive shape.
Rochdale station serves the Calder Valley line. Trains reach Manchester Victoria in around thirty minutes, supplemented by the Metrolink tram network into the city. Norden, curving into the hills to the north, has become one of Rochdale's most school-competitive corners, drawing families weighing primary places across the borough. Milnrow to the south-east is similarly sought-after for catchments, with Smallbridge and Castleton occupying the valley between them. Around 111,000 people live in the town proper, part of a wider Metropolitan Borough of more than 220,000.
42
Primary
schools
8
Secondary
schools
1
All-through
schools
1
Post-16
colleges
6
Special
schools
1
Other
schools
of which2sixth forms·19faith·1nurseries60 total
Area Performance
Rochdale schools rank in the top 59% of England
Across 51 primary and secondary schools, state and independent. The average Find My School Inspection Score is 7.13/10, -0.23 vs England.
Find My School Inspection Band
4% Elite
Distribution across all Rochdale schools
EliteExcellentGoodDeveloping
Rochdale vs England distribution
National Rank
Top 59%
Across all ranked Rochdale schools
Top 56%Primaryavg #8,350 of 14,978
Top 71%Secondaryavg #2,742 of 3,862
Primary schools: 41 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.2/10
-0.12 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#8,350
-6 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 56% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
62%
0 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
5%
-3 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Average FMS Inspection Score
7.2/10
-0.12 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.3/10
Average national rank
#8,350
-6 pts vs medianmedian 7,489
top 56% of 14,978
% reaching expected RWM standardstate
62%
0 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 62%
% reaching higher RWM standardstate
5%
-3 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 8%
Secondary schools: 10 schools (state + independent)
LocalEngland avg
Average FMS Inspection Score
6.7/10
-0.66 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,742
-21 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 71% of 3,862
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.3
+5.2 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Average FMS Inspection Score
6.7/10
-0.66 vs Eng avgEng avg 7.4/10
Average national rank
#2,742
-21 pts vs medianmedian 1,931
top 71% of 3,862
Attainment 8 score (out of 90)state
44.3
+5.2 vs Eng avgEng avg 39.1
Oxford
#287
1 ranked schools · -34 places vs Eng avg #253 of 1,197
Applications
7
Offers
0
Offer rate0.0%
-15.1 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 15.1%
Cambridge
#1,475
1 ranked schools · -702 places vs Eng avg #773 of 1,880
Applications
5
Offers
1
Offer rate20.0%
-9.4 pts vs Eng avgEng avg 29.4%
Top 3 Primary Schools
2026
Rochdale
Top 3 Secondary Schools
2026
Rochdale
1 Sixth Form
2026
Rochdale
Local directory
School profiles in Rochdale
Browse 52 local profile links across primary schools, secondary schools and sixth forms. Each profile brings together admissions context, performance data, inspection history and school details in one place.
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