Most sought-after schools in Oldham

Ordered by how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out.

This list is sorted by one number: first preferences per place. For each school it is the number of families who named it first, divided by the number of offers it made, in the newest year we hold. A higher number means more families wanted a place than there were places.

This is not a list of the best schools. It does not measure how good a school is, how happy the children are, or how well they do. It also does not tell you whether a child would get a place: that depends on where you live, the year, and the council's rules. It only shows how many people applied.

#	School	First preferences per place	Newest intake	Latest Ofsted
1	The Blue Coat CofE School Oldham, secondary	2.63	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
2	The Brian Clarke Church of England Academy Oldham, secondary	2.04	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
3	Fir Bank Primary School Oldham, primary	1.66	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
4	Greenacres Primary Academy Oldham, primary	1.52	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
5	Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School Oldham, primary	1.52	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
6	Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School Manchester, primary	1.50	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
7	Westwood Academy Oldham, primary	1.47	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
8	St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School Oldham, primary	1.46	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
9	Broadfield Primary School Oldham, primary	1.38	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
10	St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton Oldham, primary	1.34	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
11	Roundthorn Primary Academy Oldham, primary	1.28	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
12	Holy Trinity CofE Dobcross Primary School Oldham, primary	1.27	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
13	St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	1.24	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
14	Buckstones Primary School Oldham, primary	1.23	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
15	Greenhill Academy Oldham, primary	1.15	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
16	Crompton Primary School Oldham, primary	1.14	2026	School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
17	The Crompton House Church of England Academy Oldham, secondary	1.12	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
18	Coppice Primary Academy Oldham, primary	1.10	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
19	North Chadderton School Oldham, secondary	1.10	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
20	Glodwick Infant and Nursery School Greater Manchester, primary	1.06	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
21	Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School Oldham, primary	1.05	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
22	St Matthew's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	1.05	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
23	Burnley Brow Community School Oldham, primary	1.03	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
24	Greenfield Primary School Oldham, primary	1.03	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
25	Thorp Primary School Oldham, primary	1.03	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
26	Mather Street Primary School Manchester, primary	1.00	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
27	St Agnes CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	1.00	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
28	St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School Oldham, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
29	St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
30	Willowpark Primary Academy Oldham, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
31	Woodhouses Voluntary Primary School Manchester, primary	1.00	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
32	Woodlands Primary Academy Oldham, primary	1.00	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
33	Freehold Community Academy Oldham, primary	0.98	2026	School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
34	Hodge Clough Primary School Oldham, primary	0.98	2026	School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
35	Holy Cross Ceva Primary School Oldham, primary	0.98	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
36	St Mary's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Manchester, primary	0.98	2026	School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
37	Bare Trees Primary School Oldham, primary	0.97	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
38	Christ Church CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.97	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
39	Oasis Academy Clarksfield Oldham, primary	0.97	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
40	Co-op Academy Failsworth Manchester, secondary	0.96	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
41	Holy Rosary RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Oldham, primary	0.96	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
42	Mayfield Primary School Oldham, primary	0.96	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
43	St Thomas CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.96	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
44	Oasis Academy Limeside Oldham, primary	0.95	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
45	Limehurst Community Primary School Oldham, primary	0.94	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
46	St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary	0.94	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
47	Horton Mill Community Primary School Oldham, primary	0.93	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
48	St Hilda's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.93	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
49	Mills Hill Primary School Oldham, primary	0.92	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
50	St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary School Oldham, primary	0.92	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
51	Saddleworth School Oldham, secondary	0.91	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
52	St John's Church of England Primary School Manchester, primary	0.91	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
53	Diggle School Oldham, primary	0.90	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
54	St Herbert's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Oldham, primary	0.90	2026	Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
55	Beal Vale Primary School Oldham, primary	0.89	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
56	Richmond Academy Oldham, primary	0.89	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
57	Yew Tree Community School Oldham, primary	0.88	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
58	Hey-with-Zion Primary School Oldham, primary	0.87	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
59	Higher Failsworth Primary School Oldham, primary	0.87	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
60	St Chad's Church of England Primary School Oldham, primary	0.87	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
61	East Crompton St James CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.86	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
62	South Failsworth Community Primary School Manchester, primary	0.86	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
63	St Edwards Roman Catholic Primary, a Voluntary Academy Oldham, primary	0.86	2026	none held
64	Stanley Road Primary School Oldham, primary	0.86	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
65	Beever Primary School Oldham, primary	0.84	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
66	Northmoor Academy Oldham, primary	0.84	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
67	Springhead Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary	0.84	2026	Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
68	Greenfield St Mary's CofE School Oldham, primary	0.83	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
69	The Hathershaw College Oldham, secondary	0.83	2026	Needs attention (Ofsted report card (current framework))
70	Alt Academy Oldham, primary	0.82	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
71	St. Paul's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.82	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
72	St Luke's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.81	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
73	Littlemoor Primary School Oldham, primary	0.77	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
74	Medlock Valley Primary School Oldham, primary	0.77	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
75	Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery School Oldham, primary	0.76	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
76	Royton Hall Primary School Oldham, primary	0.76	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
77	Friezland Primary School Oldham, primary	0.75	2026	Some aspects not as strong (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
78	Thornham St. James CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.73	2026	School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
79	Waterhead Academy Oldham, secondary	0.73	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
80	Delph Primary School Oldham, primary	0.72	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
81	Saint John Henry Newman Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy Oldham, secondary	0.70	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
82	E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy Oldham, secondary	0.69	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
83	Oasis Academy Oldham Oldham, secondary	0.69	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
84	Werneth Primary School Oldham, primary	0.69	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
85	Rushcroft Primary School Oldham, primary	0.68	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
86	The Radclyffe School Oldham, secondary	0.67	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
87	Oasis Academy Leesbrook Oldham, secondary	0.62	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
88	St Hugh's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary	0.57	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
89	E-ACT the Oldham Academy North Oldham, secondary	0.36	2026	Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection)

Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 89 schools in Oldham have a published per-place figure. Schools with too few places for the figure to mean anything are left off. All schools in Oldham · How we compare schools.