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 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 2 |
The Brian Clarke Church of England Academy Oldham, secondary |
2.02 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 3 |
St Agnes CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.79 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 4 |
Propps Hall Junior Infant and Nursery School Manchester, primary |
1.76 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 5 |
Roundthorn Primary Academy Oldham, primary |
1.62 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 6 |
Greenacres Primary Academy Oldham, primary |
1.47 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 7 |
Woodhouses Voluntary Primary School Manchester, primary |
1.45 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 8 |
Crompton Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.37 | 2025 | School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 9 |
St Anne's CofE Lydgate Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.37 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 10 |
St Anne's CofE (Aided) Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.21 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 11 |
Whitegate End Primary and Nursery School Oldham, primary |
1.21 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 12 |
Coppice Primary Academy Oldham, primary |
1.19 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 13 |
The Crompton House Church of England Academy Oldham, secondary |
1.18 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 14 |
Delph Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.17 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 15 |
Westwood Academy Oldham, primary |
1.14 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 16 |
Horton Mill Community Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.10 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 17 |
Beal Vale Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.07 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 18 |
Greenhill Academy Oldham, primary |
1.07 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 19 |
Buckstones Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.03 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 20 |
Fir Bank Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.03 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 21 |
Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School Oldham, primary |
1.02 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 22 |
Bare Trees Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 23 |
Beever Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 24 |
Freehold Community Academy Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 25 |
Hodge Clough Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 26 |
Limehurst Community Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 27 |
Mayfield Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 28 |
St Luke's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 29 |
St Mary's CofE Primary School High Crompton Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 30 |
St Thomas Moorside CofE (VA) Primary School Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 31 |
Willowpark Primary Academy Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 32 |
Woodlands Primary Academy Oldham, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 33 |
Greenfield Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.98 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 34 |
Northmoor Academy Oldham, primary |
0.97 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 35 |
St Hilda's CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.97 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 36 |
Burnley Brow Community School Oldham, primary |
0.96 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 37 |
Diggle School Oldham, primary |
0.96 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 38 |
St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary |
0.95 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 39 |
East Crompton St James CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 40 |
Greenfield St Mary's CofE School Oldham, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 41 |
Springhead Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 42 |
Friezland Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.93 | 2025 | Some aspects not as strong (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 43 |
Littlemoor Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.93 | 2025 | Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 44 |
The Hathershaw College Oldham, secondary |
0.93 | 2025 | Needs attention (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 45 |
Mills Hill Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.92 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 46 |
Glodwick Infant and Nursery School Greater Manchester, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 47 |
Royton Hall Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 48 |
Christ Church CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.89 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 49 |
Co-op Academy Failsworth Manchester, secondary |
0.88 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 50 |
Oasis Academy Limeside Oldham, primary |
0.88 | 2025 | Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 51 |
Thorp Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.88 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 52 |
St Chad's Church of England Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.87 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 53 |
Stanley Road Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.87 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 54 |
St Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School Oldham, primary |
0.86 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 55 |
Richmond Academy Oldham, primary |
0.85 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 56 |
South Failsworth Community Primary School Manchester, primary |
0.85 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 57 |
Holy Cross Ceva Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.84 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 58 |
North Chadderton School Oldham, secondary |
0.84 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 59 |
Yew Tree Community School Oldham, primary |
0.84 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 60 |
St John's Church of England Primary School Manchester, primary |
0.82 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 61 |
St Thomas' Leesfield CofE Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.82 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 62 |
Holy Family RC Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.81 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 63 |
Mather Street Primary School Manchester, primary |
0.81 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 64 |
Alt Academy Oldham, primary |
0.80 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 65 |
Higher Failsworth Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.79 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 66 |
Rushcroft Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.75 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 67 |
Werneth Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.73 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 68 |
Oasis Academy Clarksfield Oldham, primary |
0.70 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 69 |
Waterhead Academy Oldham, secondary |
0.70 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 70 |
Medlock Valley Primary School Oldham, primary |
0.69 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 71 |
E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy Oldham, secondary |
0.66 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 72 |
Oasis Academy Leesbrook Oldham, secondary |
0.62 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 73 |
Oasis Academy Oldham Oldham, secondary |
0.61 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 74 |
E-ACT the Oldham Academy North Oldham, secondary |
0.45 | 2025 | Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 74 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.