SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Rochdale

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 14 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.

Rochdale in figures

For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 40 schools in Rochdale first 1,454 times for 1,469 places: 0.99 first choices per place. 7 of the 40 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 8 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 0.41 miles (Ashfield Valley Primary School) to 1.67 miles (St Peter's Church of England Primary School).

For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 8 schools in Rochdale first 1,673 times for 1,711 places: 0.98 first choices per place. 2 of the 8 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 5 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 1.33 miles (Wardle Academy) to 2.57 miles (Hollingworth Academy).

Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.

Reception places, September 2026

40 schools. 7 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Caldershaw Primary SchoolRochdale2.47300.544 miles 2026
Kentmere Primary AcademyRochdale1.7645not published
St Gabriel's Roman Catholic Primary School, RochdaleRochdale1.17300.46 miles 2026
Ashfield Valley Primary SchoolRochdale1.13300.405 miles 2026
St Thomas' Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale1.05201.348 miles 2026
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, BalderstoneRochdale1.03300.672 miles 2026
Whittaker Moss Primary SchoolRochdale1.02581.635 miles 2026
All Saints Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale1.0027not published
Healey Foundation Primary SchoolRochdale1.0022not published
Moorhouse AcademyRochdale1.0022not published
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRochdale1.0030not published
St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale1.0016not published
St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale0.98591.666 miles 2026
Greenbank Primary SchoolRochdale0.9858not published
Our Lady and St Anselm's Roman Catholic Primary School, WhitworthRochdale0.9628not published
Belfield Community SchoolRochdale0.9653not published
St Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary SchoolRochdale0.9626not published
St James' Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale0.9624not published
St John's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRochdale0.9624not published
Crossgates Primary SchoolRochdale0.9542not published
Sandbrook Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.9560not published
Marland Hill Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.9453not published
Heybrook Primary SchoolRochdale0.9488not published
Milnrow Parish Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale0.9417not published
Broadfield Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.9344not published
Shawclough Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.9341not published
Deeplish Primary AcademyRochdale0.9252not published
St John With St Michael Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale0.9213not published
Castleton Primary SchoolRochdale0.9237not published
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School and NurseryRochdale0.9145not published
Newhey Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.9133not published
Holy Family Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyRochdale0.9030not published
Spotland Primary AcademyRochdale0.8842not published
St Edward's Church of England Primary SchoolRochdale0.8547not published
St Vincent De Paul Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyRochdale0.8438not published
Brimrod Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.8318not published
Hamer Community Primary SchoolRochdale0.80410.993 miles 2026
Meanwood Community Nursery and Primary SchoolRochdale0.7645not published
Alice Ingham Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyRochdale0.6712not published
Norden Primary AcademyRochdale0.6239not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.

Year 7 places, September 2026

8 schools. 2 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Whitworth Community High SchoolROCHDALE1.321252 miles 2026
Hollingworth AcademyRochdale1.062622.573 miles 2026
Matthew Moss High SchoolRochdale1.002271.63 miles 2026
Falinge Park High SchoolRochdale0.982661.605 miles 2026
Wardle AcademyRochdale0.982641.331 miles 2026
Kingsway Park High SchoolRochdale0.90230not published
Oulder Hill Leadership AcademyRochdale0.83210not published
St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary AcademyRochdale0.81127not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.