The Barlow RC High SchoolParrs Wood High School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Manchester.
Summary of the comparison
The Barlow RC High School and Parrs Wood High School are secondary schools in Manchester.
The Barlow RC High School scores 62 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Parrs Wood High School scores 57 out of 100 (grade C, average). The Barlow RC High School is ahead on our composite score.
The Barlow RC High School was judged Good and Parrs Wood High School was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 49.2 for The Barlow RC High School and 48.7 for Parrs Wood High School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at The Barlow RC High School (48.5 in 2021-22, 49.2 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Parrs Wood High School (53.0 in 2021-22, 48.7 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | ManchesterThe Barlow RC High School | ManchesterParrs Wood High School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C62/100Stronger figure | C57/100 | |
| Local ranking | 15th of 32 in Manchester Stronger figure | 21st of 32 in Manchester | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Voluntary aided school | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-16 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 930 | 1,786 | |
| Capacity | 940 | 1,854 | |
| Location | Manchester, M20 6BX | Manchester, M20 5PG | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 49.2 Stronger figure | 48.7 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 49.7% Stronger figure | 44.7% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 69.0% Stronger figure | 63.0% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 171 | 300 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | Not reported | 158 | |
| A-level average points | Not reported | 28.6 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | Not reported | C | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | Not reported | 29.8 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | Not reported | 9.7% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 918 | 1,867 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 41.6% | 32.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 17.3% | 39.9% | |
| SEN support | 7.8% | 11.4% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 7.7% | 2.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.8% Stronger figure | 8.3% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 21.7% Stronger figure | 22.0% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Barlow RC High School
Parrs Wood High School
Full profiles: The Barlow RC High School · Parrs Wood High School