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Schools in Middleton

A town in Rochdale

  • Town
  • 41 schools and nurseries
  • 9,148 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Middleton at a glance

Behind England on results at 11

How Middleton's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries4113 primary · 4 secondary · 22 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1158%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths38%Attainment 8 43.3, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary29%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school20%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Middleton

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Middleton primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Middleton

13 mainstream schools in Middleton, best first

Alkrington Primary School

Manchester, M24 1JZ · State · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

73 first choices, 60 offers made

Met the standard at 1173%

England 62%

Days missed
4.3%
Pupils
512
Pupils per teacher
29.0
View school Alkrington Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Middleton

4 mainstream schools in Middleton, best first

Dixons Middleton Academy

Manchester, M24 2GT · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results below the England average.

173 first choices, 237 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1641.9

England 46.2

Days missed
10.2%
Pupils
1,319
Pupils per teacher
17.2
View school Dixons Middleton Academy

Nurseries in Middleton

22 in Middleton, highest Ofsted grade first

Sunny Brow Nursery School

Manchester, M24 4AD · State · Nursery · Ages 3 to 4

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

No published results yet.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
48
Pupils per teacher
23.8
View school Sunny Brow Nursery School

Sixth Forms in Middleton

2 in Middleton, by the school's Eduscope score

Elizabeth House School

M24 4bd · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 4 areas

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
5
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Elizabeth House School

Special Schools in Middleton

1 in Middleton. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Newlands School

Manchester, M24 6JG · Special · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
8.4%
Pupils
131
Pupils per teacher
9.0
View school Newlands School

Private Schools in Middleton

1 in Middleton. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Elizabeth House School

M24 4bd · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18 · Boys

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 4 areas

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
5
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Elizabeth House School
The map

Every school in Middleton, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Sunny Brow Nursery School, OutstandingAlkrington Primary School, GoodBoarshaw Community Primary School, GoodElm Wood Primary School, GoodHollin Primary School, GoodParkfield Primary School, GoodSt Gabriel's Church of England Primary School, GoodSt Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale, Good or betterSt Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, GoodSt Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, Rochdale, Good in every areaSt Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington, Good in every areaCardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School, Expected standard or betterBowlee Park Community Primary School, OutstandingNewlands School, GoodSt Anne's Church of England Academy, GoodDixons Middleton Academy, GoodElizabeth House School, Needs attention in 4 areasEdgar Wood Academy, Expected standard in every areaSt John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, GoodMiddleton Parish Church School, Inadequate in 1 areaTots Junction, GoodMiddleton Nursery School, GoodCosy Toes Nursery, GoodTwinkle Toes Nursery, GoodBoarshaw Private Day Nursery, OutstandingHollin Nursery, GoodKirkway Nursery, GoodTriumphant Kids Nursery, GoodSquirrels Children Day Nursery, Middleton, GoodElm Street Pre-School Community Interest Company, GoodDucklings Limited, GoodSt Thomas More Play Group, GoodAlkrington Pre-School CIC, GoodBright Stars Childcare, GoodKids Planet School House, GoodRoly Poley's Private Nursery, GoodBurnside Pre School, OutstandingBee's Knees Nursery and Pre-School, Expected standard or betterLittle Miracles DaycareEdu-Play LtdBright Stars Preschool & Holiday Club
  • Outstanding4
  • Good26
  • Not graded yet11
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Middleton by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Middleton vs England

How good are Middleton's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Middleton

MiddletonEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 9 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    2 of the 2 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    58%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    38%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    20%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    29%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 13 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding2
  • Good11
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Middleton in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%60%80%20182019202320242025
58% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%35%50%2018201920222023202420252026
38% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
20% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Middleton has 41 schools and nurseries.

There are 19% more pupils than in 2018.

29% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Middleton's state schools each January.

Up 19% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Middleton29%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Middleton

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Middleton

How many schools are in Middleton?

Middleton has 41 schools, including 14 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 22 nurseries, 1 independent school, 1 special school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Middleton?

The highest-ranked schools in Middleton on Eduscope are Bowlee Park Community Primary School, St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale, Alkrington Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Middleton are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Middleton hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 11 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Middleton perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Middleton, 58% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Middleton?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Middleton is 18.5:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Middleton schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Middleton is 20.0%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Middleton?

There are 9,148 pupils enrolled across schools in Middleton, with 5,049 in primary and 4,051 in secondary. 31.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Middleton?

There is 1 independent school in Middleton. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Middleton?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 41 schools in Middleton by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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