Tameside’s best secondary schools 2025

Trying to find the right school for your child in Tameside? You’re in the right place.

With so many options, many parents find themselves drowning in league tables and Ofsted reports. That’s exactly why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our expert team has analysed the latest 2023/2024 Department for Education data to bring you a list of the top-performing state secondary schools in Tameside.

We show two ranking tables, one for Progress 8 and one for GCSE 9–7 results, and also provide a complete list of all secondary schools in Tameside. This full list includes Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 percentages, and Ofsted ratings where available. The schools in this table are ordered alphabetically rather than ranked, so you can easily see every school in one place, even if some data points are missing.

Top secondary schools in Tameside by Progress 8

Laurus Ryecroft in Droylsden is currently ranked #1 in Tameside based on its published Progress 8 score of +0.73. Progress 8 is a headline accountability measure used by the Department for Education to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, compared to students with similar prior attainment nationally.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1Laurus RyecroftFree schoolsMixed+0.73Outstanding24.98%
2Fairfield High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+0.55Good31.32%
3St Thomas More RC CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good19.76%
4St Damian's RC Science CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.24Outstanding27.2%
5Mossley Hollins High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.03-17.08%
6Audenshaw SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.06Good14.37%
7Alder Community High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.28Requires improvement14.29%
8West Hill SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.31Good15.75%
9Denton Community CollegeCommunity schoolMixed-0.33-19.18%
10Hyde High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.48-11.32%
11Longdendale High SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.53-17.01%
12Great Academy AshtonAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.56-9.54%
13All Saints Catholic CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.61-8.03%
14Copley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.9Good2.12%
15Rayner Stephens High SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.03Requires improvement6.66%
16Samuel Laycock SchoolAcademy special sponsor ledMixed-1.59-0%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

Source

Examiner-written GCSE revision resources that improve your grades 2x

  • Written by expert teachers and examiners
  • Aligned to exam specifications
  • Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t

Top secondary schools in Tameside by GCSE % 9–7

Fairfield High School for Girls in Droylsden is currently ranked #1 in Tameside based on the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7. This measure highlights how many pupils achieve the very top exam results, giving a clear picture of each school’s academic excellence.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1Fairfield High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+0.55Good31.32%
2St Damian's RC Science CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.24Outstanding27.2%
3Laurus RyecroftFree schoolsMixed+0.73Outstanding24.98%
4St Thomas More RC CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good19.76%
5Denton Community CollegeCommunity schoolMixed-0.33-19.18%
6Mossley Hollins High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.03-17.08%
7Longdendale High SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.53-17.01%
8West Hill SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.31Good15.75%
9Audenshaw SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.06Good14.37%
10Alder Community High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.28Requires improvement14.29%
11Trinity SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--12.58%
12Hyde High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.48-11.32%
13Great Academy AshtonAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.56-9.54%
14All Saints Catholic CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.61-8.03%
15Rayner Stephens High SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.03Requires improvement6.66%
16Copley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.9Good2.12%
17Safe Start SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--0%
18Samuel Laycock SchoolAcademy special sponsor ledMixed-1.59-0%
19The Limes SchoolOther independent special schoolBoys--0%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

Source

All secondary schools in Tameside

Below is the complete list of secondary schools in Tameside, including both state-funded and independent schools where data is available. This table provides an at-a-glance view of each school’s key performance metrics, including Progress 8 scores, the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7, and Ofsted ratings, where published.

School nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
Alder Community High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.28Requires improvement14.29%
All Saints Catholic CollegeAcademy converterMixed-0.61-8.03%
Audenshaw SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.06Good14.37%
Brambles SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---
Copley AcademyAcademy converterMixed-0.9Good2.12%
Cromwell High SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed---
Cromwell High SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-Outstanding-
Denton Community AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed-Inadequate-
Denton Community CollegeCommunity schoolMixed-0.33-19.18%
Fairfield High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+0.55Good31.32%
Great Academy AshtonAcademy sponsor ledMixed-0.56-9.54%
Greater Manchester Alternative ProvisionOther independent special schoolMixed---
Hyde High SchoolAcademy converterMixed-Requires improvement-
Hyde High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.48-11.32%
Laurus RyecroftFree schoolsMixed+0.73Outstanding24.98%
Lawrence HouseOther independent schoolBoys---
Longdendale High SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.53-17.01%
Mossley Hollins High SchoolAcademy converterMixed-Good-
Mossley Hollins High SchoolCommunity schoolMixed-0.03-17.08%
Peak ForestOther independent special schoolMixed---
Rayner Stephens High SchoolAcademy sponsor ledMixed-1.03Requires improvement6.66%
Safe Start SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--0%
Samuel Laycock SchoolAcademy special sponsor ledMixed-1.59-0%
St Damian's RC Science CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.24Outstanding27.2%
St Thomas More RC CollegeVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good19.76%
Tame BankOther independent special schoolMixed---
The Limes SchoolOther independent special schoolBoys--0%
Thomas Ashton SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed---
Thomas Ashton SchoolAcademy special sponsor ledMixed-Inadequate-
Trinity SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--12.58%
West Hill SchoolAcademy converterBoys-0.31Good15.75%

Source

Disclaimer

All data on this page is sourced from the Department for Education’s 2023/2024 Compare School Performance dataset. It includes state-funded and, where available, independent secondary schools. Some schools may be missing data for Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 results, or Ofsted ratings due to unpublished or unavailable figures. Rankings are based only on schools with published data and may not reflect recent changes. Please check school websites for the latest information.

How we ranked the best schools in Tameside?

Why trust our rankings? Our analysis is based on the latest 2023/2024 data from the Department for Education’s Compare School Performance (CSP) database, which publishes official performance data for all secondary schools in England, including both state-funded and independent schools where available.

We’ve created separate tables to highlight top performers in three key areas:

  • Progress 8 (pupil progress from KS2 to GCSE)
  • GCSE 9–7 grades (academic excellence)
  • Overall school listings, with available Ofsted ratings

Schools are primarily ranked by their Progress 8 score. This clever metric doesn’t just reward schools with high-attaining intakes – it highlights the ones that genuinely support student growth by measuring progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs. It adjusts for prior attainment, making it one of the fairest ways to compare schools.

Where available, we also show the percentage of GCSE grades at 9–7 to reflect high academic achievement, and Ofsted ratings for added context. All figures come directly from CSP’s official dataset.

Where Progress 8 data is not available for any schools in Tameside, the corresponding table will not be shown. This simply means that no schools in this area had published Progress 8 scores at the time of the latest dataset, it does not reflect on the quality of the schools themselves.

How to support your child at home

Helping your child succeed at school doesn’t just happen in the classroom, the right support at home can make a big difference. Encourage a regular study routine, provide a quiet space for learning, and take an interest in what they’re covering in lessons. Even small actions, like checking in on homework or discussing what they learned that day, can build motivation and accountability.

If you’re looking for extra structure, our GCSE Revision Resources are designed to make studying easier. With expert-written notes, topic-by-topic exam questions, and mark schemes, your child can practise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it.

Boosting confidence before exams

Confidence can make a huge difference to exam performance. Start by helping your child identify their strengths and weaknesses, then focus revision time on areas that need improvement. Practising under timed conditions can reduce exam-day nerves, while celebrating small wins along the way builds self-belief.

Our GCSE Exam Practice pages include hundreds of past-paper style questions and worked solutions, so students can walk into their exams knowing exactly what to expect. By building familiarity with the question styles and formats, they’ll feel prepared and ready to perform at their best.

Explore the best secondary schools in other areas

Share this article

FAQs - best secondary schools in Tameside

Based on the latest Department for Education CSP data, the highest-rated secondary school in Tameside is Laurus Ryecroft by Progress 8 and Fairfield High School for Girls by GCSE 9–7 results. In the case of an exact tie across these measures, the first school in alphabetical order is shown here. For full details and to compare all schools, please refer to the performance tables above.
No. This guide covers state-funded secondary schools only, including grammar, comprehensive, academy, and free schools. Independent/private schools are not included in our rankings.
Applications are usually managed by Tameside local authority. You can find deadlines, admissions policies, and catchment area maps on the council’s official website.
Use Ofsted inspection reports, the Department for Education’s CSP performance tables, and our rankings to compare schools side by side. Visit schools during open days for first-hand impressions.
A Progress 8 score above 0 means students make better progress than the national average. Scores above +0.5 indicate well above average progress, while top-performing secondary schools typically achieve +0.7 or higher. The best schools in Tameside consistently score above +0.8.

Explore our GCSE study tools