School profile

Priestnall School

Secondary · Academy converter · Stockport, SK4 3HP

Requires improvement

Map showing Priestnall School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#443 of 3,312

Better than 86% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Priestnall School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 29 Oct 2019

Ofsted rating
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,312
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMiss Rachel Howarth
TrustTHE LAURUS TRUST
Local authorityStockport
Opened01 Sept 2023
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 149936.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolStockportEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.55.8, better than England, better than Stockport48.846.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.81.2%, better than England, better than Stockport69.4%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.67.8%, better than England, better than Stockport51.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.29.4%, better than England, better than Stockport17.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths75.1%, better than England, better than Stockport65.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4245--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,312
Girls616
Boys696
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.13.5%
First language not English11.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,275
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.260
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.87
Average class size25

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
75.5%
Pakistani
5.7%
Other White
3.5%
Other mixed
2.8%
Other ethnic group
1.8%
White and Asian
1.6%
Indian
1.4%
Other Asian
1.2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.1%
White and Black African
1.1%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.1
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.8
Teachers (FTE)76.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)26.85
Support staff (FTE)57.56
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2577.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2567.7
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/255
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.252
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.521
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.311
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.247
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)28

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolStockportEngland
Overall absence7.7%, similar to England, similar to Stockport8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.17.6%, better than England, better than Stockport20.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.2%, worse than England, similar to Stockport4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate13.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.94.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.91.6%
Sixth form college72%
Further education17.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.2%
Apprenticeship2.4%
School sixth form2%
Employment0.8%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Priestnall School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryTithe Barn Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.2 miNurseryFreshfield Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Good
0.3 miPrimarySt John's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryDidsbury Road Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt Winifred's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.4 miNot applicableStella Maris SchoolOther independent school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryMersey Vale Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miPrimaryNorris Bank Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miSecondaryBurnage Academy for BoysAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryGreen End Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about Priestnall School

What is Priestnall School's Ofsted rating?

Priestnall School is rated Requires improvement by Ofsted, last inspected on 29 Oct 2019.

How does Priestnall School rank in England?

Priestnall School ranks 443 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 86% of schools).

What are Priestnall School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 67.8% of pupils at Priestnall School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 55.8 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Priestnall School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Priestnall School made 252 offers from 521 applications (2.1 per offer), and 247 of 311 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Priestnall School?

Priestnall School has 1,312 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Priestnall School?

Priestnall School had 1,275 school places in 2024/25.

Does Priestnall School have a sixth form?

No, Priestnall School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Priestnall School?

At Priestnall School, the average class had 25 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.1 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Priestnall School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Priestnall School missed 7.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 17.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.