If your child is already at school, you're no doubt fully aware of the Ofsted grading system.
All schools are graded on a four-point scale, from grade 1 (outstanding), 2 (good), 3 (requires improvement) and 4 (inadequate).
Despite recent calls for the one-word gradings to be scrapped, the education watchdog says they will remain, with its chief inspector Amanda Spielman describing them as 'integral' to the wider school system.
She says the 'government uses Ofsted’s overall grade to determine how best to support improvement' and insists that 'many parents find the grading system useful'.
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Ofsted inspectors make graded judgements on a number of areas which include the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership at the school.
To achieve an 'outstanding' grade, a school will need to be given a Grade 1 for most categories. It means the school has convinced inspectors that they are providing the highest standards of education. Safeguarding must also be effective.
It used to be the case that 'outstanding' settings were exempt from Ofsted, unless there was particular cause for concern, but that changed in 2020. Now those schools are all being re-inspected – with the watchdog prioritising the ones that have gone the longest without inspection.
The following schools and colleges across the Manchester local authority area are currently judged to be outstanding by Ofsted. See the full Greater Manchester list here.
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Abbott Community Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 13 February 2019
-
ANS Academy Limited
- Category: Independent Learning Provider
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 06 October 2021
-
Armitage CofE Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 29 April 2019
-
Ashbury Meadow Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 08 September 2015
-
Ashgate Specialist Support Primary School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 07 May 2019
-
Burnage Academy for Boys
- Category: Secondary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 24 October 2018
-
Camberwell Park Specialist Support School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 08 February 2018
-
Chorlton CofE Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 02 April 2014
-
Co-Op Academy New Islington
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 10 July 2015
-
Cringle Brook Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 20 March 2017
-
Crossacres Primary Academy
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 20 March 2023
-
Green End Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 09 September 2015
-
Holy Name Roman Catholic Primary School Manchester
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 13 July 2012
-
King David Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 23 December 2019
-
Levenshulme High School
- Category: Secondary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 28 July 2022
-
Loreto College
- Category: Sixth Form College
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 08 February 2023
-
Manchester Islamic Grammar School for Girls
- Category: Independent School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 04 April 2019
-
Manley Park Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 02 November 2011
-
Melland High School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 08 February 2018
-
North Ridge High School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 01 May 2018
-
Northern Ballet School
- Category: Dance and Drama Schools and Colleges
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 30 October 2015
-
Pioneer House High School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 05 June 2019
-
Ravensbury Community School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 21 November 2017
-
Rodney House School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 03 April 2017
-
Sacred Heart RC Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 29 June 2020
-
Siemens Public Limited Company
- Category: Employer Provider
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 08 September 2016
-
St Catherine's RC Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 26 January 2009
-
St Francis RC Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 14 December 2015
-
St Margaret Mary's RC Primary School Manchester
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 04 March 2013
-
St Mary's CofE Junior and Infant School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 20 January 2011
-
St Mary's RC Primary School Manchester
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 01 July 2022
-
St Richard's RC Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 05 July 2012
-
The Birches School
- Category: Special School
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 21 November 2016
-
The Manchester Metropolitan University
- Category: Other further education and skills
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 30 November 2022
-
Trinity CofE High School
- Category: Secondary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 14 November 2017
-
Varna Community Primary School
- Category: Primary
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 19 December 2019
-
Wright Robinson College
- Category: Secondary
Abbey Hey Lane, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8RL
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 19 November 2021
-
Xaverian College
- Category: Sixth Form College
- Rating: Outstanding
- Latest report: 27 February 2012
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