10 best schools in Manchester and where to live nearby

Best school in Manchester and where to live – Salford quays

For families with school-age children, the availability of good schools is always a top consideration when choosing where to live. That’s why we’ve drawn together a list of the best schools in Manchester itself and the Greater Manchester area. This will give you a great idea of where to find the educational clusters of excellence if you’re planning to move here.

Manchester’s best schools are nationally competitive. This is due to a combination of its grammar school history, rising investment and high demand attracting outstanding teachers. The ongoing property development boom affecting Manchester and many of its surrounding towns means that the area is becoming a hotspot for young families moving here.

The following list of the 10 best schools in Manchester comes from the website Snobe.co.uk. The site provides extensive data and rankings to help parents find the best schools for their children. For our rankings below we’ve listed state secondary schools (academies and maintained schools) that offer mixed-ability or selective admission. We haven’t included special schools in our list.

10 Best schools in Manchester – Secondary State Level

1: Rumworth School, Bolton

With its ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating, Bolton’s Rumworth School takes the top spot for state secondary schools in Greater Manchester. The Snobe team praise the school’s “dynamic and innovative leadership”, “motivated staff” and “strong focus on equipping pupils with knowledge, skills, and understanding”. Rumworth is on the small side for a state secondary school, with approximately 330 co-educational students, and the school also includes a sixth form.

Where to live nearby:

Simple Life at Beehive Mill, BL3

Simple Life Homes
4.17 (33 reviews) 4.17 (33 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Simple Life at Beehive Mill, BL3
Beehive Mill offers 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes to rent in Bolton. It is the perfect mix of urban and rural living. It is  situated close to Moses Gate Country Park, that offers fishing and water sports. Also, it benefits from great transport links, with direct access into Manchester. Read reviews and details of Simple Life at Beehive Mill, BL3

2: Levenshulme High School, Manchester

Second-placed Levenshulme High School is an outstanding-rated secondary school, located in the southeast Manchester suburb of Levenshulme. This girls’ school has approximately 1,000 students and places a strong emphasis on academic excellence and positive attitudes towards learning.

Where to live nearby:

Elevate, M13

Placefirst
4.30 (18 reviews) 4.30 (18 reviews)
Area guide to Manchester
Image of Elevate, M13
Elevate is a mix of Studio, 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments located in Manchester, perfect for commuting into the city centre. These high spec homes have well-proportioned living spaces and great energy efficiency. Read reviews and details of Elevate, M13

3: Trinity C of E High School, Manchester

Taking third place is Trinity Church of England High School in Hulme in the south of Manchester. The school has an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating and offers secondary education and sixth form. A large establishment with approximately 1,500 co-educational students, the school celebrates diversity and welcomes students of all faiths, while achieving academic excellence.

Where to live nearby:

The Residences Manchester, M15

Legal & General, urbanbubble
4.67 (253 reviews) 4.67 (253 reviews)
Area guide to Manchester
Image of The Residences Manchester, M15
The Residences Manchester offers luxurious Build to Rent options with one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as penthouses. Residents can enjoy a number of communal facilities, including a 20-meter indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness center, work from home space, private dining rooms and a yoga and dance studio. Moreover, this development is conveniently located […] Read reviews and details of The Residences Manchester, M15

4: St Damian’s RC Science College, Ashton-under-Lyne

Occupying fourth place in Greater Manchester is St. Damian’s RC Science College. Located in Ashton-under-Lyne on the easternmost point of Greater Manchester, this comprehensive school boasts an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rating and caters for approximately 825 co-educational students.

Where to live nearby:

Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8

Simple Life Homes
4.03 (25 reviews) 4.03 (25 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8
Durban Mill is a development of rental-only homes by Simple Life. It has bus, road and rail links to the centre of Oldham and beyond. Also, Manchester and the M60 are within easy reach, with a choice of railway stations nearby. Read reviews and details of Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8

5: Mossley Hollins High School, Ashton-under-Lyne

It’s another entry in Ashton-under-Lyne at number five. Mossley Hollins High School is located in Mossley, just a few miles outside Ashton-under-Lyne and within easy reach of the beautiful open spaces of the Peak District National Park. The school caters for approximately 890 co-educational, mixed ability students.

Where to live nearby:

Rose Street, OL9

Live DifRent
4.28 (5 reviews) 4.28 (5 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Rose Street, OL9
Rose Street, located in Oldham, is a family-friendly development offering convenient access to the South Chadderton metrolink stop and main roads like the M60. It is well-placed near good local primary and secondary schools, as well as a sixth form college, offering educational opportunities for families. Additionally, the development is near Oldham leisure centre and […] Read reviews and details of Rose Street, OL9

6: Cheadle Hulme High School, Cheadle Hulme

Sixth-placed Cheadle Hulme High School is a mixed academy offering 11-18 education in the south Manchester suburb of Cheadle Hulme. The outstanding-rated school describes itself as an “outstanding and hugely oversubscribed academy with a reputation for the relentless pursuit of excellence and a determination to ensure that every child succeeds”.

Where to live nearby:

The Mailbox, SK3

Rise Homes, Una Living
4.61 (19 reviews) 4.61 (19 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of The Mailbox, SK3
The Mailbox, comprises of 117 one and two-bed apartments and 12,500 sq ft of commercial office space. Situated in the former Royal Mail sorting office in Stockport, the development features an open atrium, a roof terrace and high-speed broadband. Read reviews and details of The Mailbox, SK3

7: Eden Boys’ School Bolton

It’s back to Bolton for our seventh entry, and Eden Boys’ School. This Muslim faith boys’ school offers GCSE and A-level studies, and received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating at its latest inspection. Principal Arshad Ashraf describes the school as “a vibrant and dynamic hub of learning and growth”.

Where to live nearby:

Spot, BL1

LIVINGWAY
4.66 (6 reviews) 4.66 (6 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Livingway Spot is one of Bolton’s best private residential spaces! Built to a very high spec including water & wifi, this development is in the heart of the town centre, conveniently located close to local amenities. Read reviews and details of Spot, BL1

8: Burnage Academy for Boys, Manchester

Burnage Academy for Boys offers state secondary education for just over 1,000 boys in the south of Manchester. The school prides itself on its pupil-focused ethos, saying “our pupils come first and thrive through our values of resilience, independence and care”. The school is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Where to live nearby:

Rowlinson at The Depot, M14

Rowlinson
4.00 (20 reviews) 4.00 (20 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Rowlinson at The Depot, M14
The Depot in Manchester is a significant residential development located on the site of the former Stagecoach Depot on Princess Parkway. This five-acre project offers a diverse mix of over 200 new homes, including apartments, family homes, and later-life accommodations. The development is characterized by its sustainable design, featuring timber frames and zinc roofs, and […] Read reviews and details of Rowlinson at The Depot, M14

9: Golborne High School, Wigan

Taking ninth place is Golborne High School. This co-educational state secondary school is located in Golborne between Wigan and Warrington to the west of Manchester. The school is rated ‘outstanding’ and its mission is “to provide opportunities that enable every child to have aspirations, vision and great pride in their achievements”.

Where to live nearby:

Simple Life at Hilton Park, WN7

Simple Life Homes
3.70 (31 reviews) 3.70 (31 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Simple Life at Hilton Park, WN7
In the popular town of Leigh, Hilton Park is a development of 103 properties. Also, it is located conveniently for leisure and work activities, with access to Manchester city centre. Read reviews and details of Simple Life at Hilton Park, WN7

10: The Blue Coat CofE School, Oldham

The final spot in our top 10 state secondary schools for Greater Manchester is The Blue Coat CofE School in Oldham. Rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the school caters for more than 1,500 co-educational students, with a mission “to ensure that they become everything they can be and everything they are meant to be”.

Where to live nearby:

Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8

Simple Life Homes
4.03 (25 reviews) 4.03 (25 reviews)
Area guide to Greater Manchester
Image of Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8
Durban Mill is a development of rental-only homes by Simple Life. It has bus, road and rail links to the centre of Oldham and beyond. Also, Manchester and the M60 are within easy reach, with a choice of railway stations nearby. Read reviews and details of Simple Life at Durban Mill, OL8
What is HomeViews?

Manchester’s outstanding schools

As our list shows, Manchester is extremely well-off for excellent secondary schools. This is particularly the case if you’re willing to live a few miles outside of the city proper. Hopefully, this will provide some food for thought if you’re looking to make a move to Manchester or the Greater Manchester area.

Remember that while these are the 10 best schools in Manchester, there are dozens more high-quality educational institutions to choose from. Look out for further lists in the near future, as we explore the best private schools in Manchester.

Read more


If you want to find out more about living in Manchester, click our dedicated area guide below. Here you’ll find all our listed property developments as well as extra detail on the different parts of the city.

Manchester

Manchester
Manchester is the second largest urban area in England, and is often thought of as the UK’s second city. Located in the north west of England nestled between Liverpool and Leeds, Manchester is also reportedly the UK’s fastest growing city economically. The area’s 2.8 Read more about Manchester

HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.

written by

Jan Moys

A residential property expert with over 15 years’ experience creating content... Read all

A residential property expert with ov... Read all