Best Secondary Schools in Salford 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 16 schools across Salford. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Salford has 16 open secondary schools. On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Patrick's RC High School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Salford follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

16
Total schools
0
Outstanding (historic grade)
0%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
60.5%
Avg KS2 SATs
33.8
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 St Patrick's RC High School
Secondary
 Good 70 View school
🥈 All Hallows RC High School
Secondary
 Good 64 View school
🥉 The Albion Academy
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
4. Salford City Academy
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
5. Ellesmere Park High School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
6. The Lowry Academy
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
7. Co-op Academy Swinton
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
8. St Ambrose Barlow RC High School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
9. Co-op Academy Walkden
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
10. Irlam and Cadishead Academy
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
11. Moorside High School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
12. Oasis Academy MediaCityUK
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
13. Star Salford Academy
Secondary
 — 50 View school
14. Beis Yaakov High School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 49 View school
15. AldridgeUTC@MediaCityUK
Secondary
 Good 47 View school
16. Buile Hill Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 46 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Salford

Best primary schools in SalfordTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in SalfordTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in SalfordPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in SalfordReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in ManchesterCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in TraffordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BuryCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BoltonCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Salford

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

Search schools in Salford

Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Salford?
There are 16 open secondary schools in Salford (closed schools are excluded). 0 of the 15 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Salford?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Salford is St Patrick's RC High School. The full ranked table above lists the top 16 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Salford?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Salford?
Primary and secondary applications in Salford are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Salford council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.