Matthew Moss High School
Rochdale, OL11 3LU · Rochdale · secondary school
Check the area around this school
6th of 13 secondary schools in Rochdale we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 5.7/10 against 454 of them, against 3.4/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 34.7 · 24 | 30% | 0.71 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.03 · 48 | 25% | 1.20 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 41.9 · 28 | 10% | 0.28 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Matthew Moss High School overview
How it's doing
The school was rated Good by Ofsted in June 2024. In 2024/25, 34.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 39.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.03 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than nationally similar peers. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (5.6 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.3 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Bridge Junior Football Club, Rochdale Juniors Netball Club, Rochdale Lacrosse Club, Springfield Park Junior Football Club, and Rochdale Athletic Football Club. Sports include badminton, basketball, netball, cricket, UniHock, lacrosse, football, and rugby. Arts and music provision features a DJ Workshop and Shakespeare Performance.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,198 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between the 39.4 Attainment 8 score and the
What Ofsted said about Matthew Moss High School
Overview
Matthew Moss High School continues to be a good school, where pupils feel safe, happy, and valued within a supportive community. The institution maintains high expectations across an ambitious curriculum, with most pupils demonstrating dedication to their studies and achieving well.
Strengths
- Pupils build strong relationships with staff and benefit from mixed-age tutor groups that foster a sense of belonging.
- The curriculum is suitably broad and balanced, with high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Teachers possess strong subject knowledge and design effective learning activities, while systems are in place to support pupils who find reading difficult.
- Pupils are well prepared for life beyond school through suitable information about further study, careers, and opportunities to develop leadership skills.
- Staff feel well supported with their workload and well-being, and recent changes have been managed effectively.
Areas to improve
- In a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies effectively, leading to gaps in pupils’ knowledge that are not swiftly addressed.
- The updated behaviour policy is not applied consistently during social times or regarding punctuality, resulting in some pupils not conducting themselves as well as they should between lessons.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 41.8 |
| 2024/25 | 39.4 |
| 2025/26 | 41.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of OL11 3LU, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT