Located in Manchester, The Birches School is a not applicable school, serving pupils aged 4 to 11. The school is a community special school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
The Birches School currently has around 170 pupils on roll. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 67.6% boys and 32.4% girls. Around 60.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 9.3%. Persistent absence is recorded at 31.7%.
The school has a diverse intake, with pakistani pupils forming the largest group at around 25.9%. african pupils make up about 18.2% , followed by white british at 15.9%
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good. This suggests the school is performing well overall. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Newholme Road, Manchester, M20 2XZ |
| Website: | www.thebirchesschool.org |
| Telephone: | 01614488895 |
| School Type: | Community special school |
| Education phase: | Not applicable |
| Local authority: | Manchester |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr Rob O'Hara |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 105613 |
Ofsted inspection date: 14/05/2024
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 4 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | |
| Number of Pupils: | 170 |
| Number of Boys: | 115 |
| Number of Girls: | 55 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 9.3% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 31.7% | 8.2% |
| Pakistani | 25.90% | 44 |
| African | 18.20% | 31 |
| White British | 15.90% | 27 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 8.80% | 15 |
| Unclassified | 7.10% | 12 |
| Other Black | 5.30% | 9 |
| White and Asian | 3.50% | 6 |
| Other Asian | 3.50% | 6 |
| White and Black African | 2.90% | 5 |
| Bangladeshi | 2.90% | 5 |
| Other Mixed | 2.40% | 4 |
| Other White | 1.20% | 2 |
| Indian | 1.20% | 2 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.60% | 1 |
| Caribbean | 0.60% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavendish Primary School Cavendish Road , West Didsbury M20 1JG | - not rated | 529 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Cavendish Primary School Cavendish Road , West Didsbury M20 1JG | 3out of 4 | 529 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| West Didsbury CE Primary School Central Road , West Didsbury M20 4ZA | 3out of 4 | 874 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Ambrose RC Primary School Princess Road , Chorlton-Cum-Hardy M21 7QA | 3out of 4 | 887 yd | Voluntary aided school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Old Moat Junior School Old Moat Lane , Withington M20 3FN | - not rated | 1,368 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didsbury High School 4 The Avenue , Didsbury M20 2ET | 4out of 4 | 424 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Loreto High School Chorlton Nell Lane , Chorlton-Cum-Hardy M21 7SW | 2out of 4 | 1,326 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| CHS South 451 Mauldeth Road West , Chorlton M21 7SX | 3out of 4 | 1,541 yd | Free schools | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Chorlton High School Nell Lane , Chorlton-Cum-Hardy M21 7SL | 3out of 4 | 1,706 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Chorlton High School Nell Lane , Chorlton-Cum-Hardy M21 7SL | - not rated | 1,706 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Hulme's Grammar School Spring Bridge Road , M16 8PR | 3out of 4 | 2,382 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Birches School Newholme Road , West Didsbury M20 2XZ | 3out of 4 | 0 yd | Community special school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Newbrook School Newholme Road , West Didsbury M20 2XZ | - not rated | 0 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Lancasterian School Elizabeth Slinger Road , West Didsbury M20 2XA | 3out of 4 | 266 yd | Community special school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| South Manchester Jewish Preparatory School 5 Stanton Avenue , West Didsbury M20 8PT | - not rated | 474 yd | Other independent school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Manchester Muslim Preparatory School 141 Barlow Moor Road , M20 2PQ | - not rated | 534 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.