In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Stalybridge at a glance
Strong attendance, weaker primary inspections
How Stalybridge's schools compare with England, area by area.
Schools and nurseries2411 primary · 2 secondary · 8 nurseries
Primaries Good or better89%England 96%
Met the standard at 1164%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths32%Attainment 8 41.1, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary29%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school15%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Stalybridge
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.
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 Stalybridge
StalybridgeEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 9 primaries with one.
89%
England 96%
Below England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
1 of the 1 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
64%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
32%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
15%
England 18%
Better 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 11 schools that have one.
91%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding1
Good9
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Stalybridge in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1164% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths32% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school15% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here
What it's like for families
Stalybridge has 24 schools and nurseries.
There are 12% fewer 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 Stalybridge's state schools each January.
4,5602018
4,5132019
4,3642021
4,2842022
4,1742023
4,1782024
4,0652025
4,0152026
Down 12% since 2018.
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.
Stalybridge29%
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 Stalybridge
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Stalybridge has 24 schools, including 12 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, 8 nurseries, 2 independent schools, 2 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Stalybridge?+
The highest-ranked schools in Stalybridge on Eduscope are Millbrook Primary School, St Raphael's Catholic Primary School, St. Peter's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy. 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 Stalybridge are rated Good or Outstanding?+
91% of inspected schools in Stalybridge hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 1 school rated Outstanding and 9 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Stalybridge perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Stalybridge, 64% 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 Stalybridge?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Stalybridge 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 Stalybridge schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Stalybridge is 15.2%. 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 Stalybridge?+
There are 4,015 pupils enrolled across schools in Stalybridge, with 2,571 in primary and 1,444 in secondary. 31.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Stalybridge?+
There are 2 independent schools in Stalybridge. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Stalybridge on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Stalybridge?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 24 schools in Stalybridge 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.
