How many schools are in Rochdale?

Rochdale has 105 open schools — 69 primary schools and 13 secondary schools across 9 areas. Data sourced from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register.

What areas are covered by Rochdale school catchment zones?

Rochdale administers catchment areas across 9 areas, including Rochdale, Manchester, Heywood, Littleborough, Other and more. Each school's catchment boundary is set by the local authority and reviewed annually as part of the admissions process.

How do school catchment areas work in Rochdale?

In Rochdale, catchment areas define a geographical zone around each school. Children living within the catchment boundary are given priority in oversubscription criteria. The exact boundary — and the "last distance offered" — changes each year based on application volumes. Official catchment maps and admissions policies are published by Rochdale council each autumn.

Which schools in Rochdale are oversubscribed?

Oversubscription varies by school and year in Rochdale. Popular schools typically receive more applications than available places, meaning the "last distance offered" shrinks annually. To check demand for a specific school, consult the Rochdale admissions authority's published offer data or the school's own admissions policy.

Rochdale School Catchment Areas

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Rochdale has 105 schools — 69 primary and 13 secondary — spread across a mix of towns and areas.

Expect the tightest competition in and around Rochdale and Manchester, where popular primaries are regularly oversubscribed and last-distance-offered figures can shrink to a few hundred metres.

Around 35% of schools in Rochdale have a religious character — Church of England, Catholic, or other faith — which means faith criteria sit alongside catchment distance in those schools' oversubscription tiebreakers.

105 total 69 primary 13 secondary 9 areas

Rochdale Catchment Area Documents

Official admissions policies and catchment boundary maps for Rochdale schools are published annually.

Find admissions documents →

Schools in Rochdale

60 schools

Howard Street Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Rochdale · OL12 0PP

Ages 2–4 72 pupils

Brimrod Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL11 4NB

Ages 3–11 219 pupils Capacity 236

Castleton Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL11 2QD

Ages 3–11 335 pupils Capacity 350

Shawclough Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL12 6DE

Ages 2–11 444 pupils Capacity 420

Greenbank Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL12 0HZ

Ages 3–11 428 pupils Capacity 480

Heybrook Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL12 9BJ

Ages 2–11 703 pupils Capacity 762

Meanwood Community Nursery and Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL12 7DJ

Ages 3–11 335 pupils Capacity 424

Lowerplace Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL16 4UU

Ages 4–11 560 pupils Capacity 570

Marland Hill Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL11 4QW

Ages 3–11 460 pupils Capacity 420

Belfield Community School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL16 2XW

Ages 3–11 441 pupils Capacity 457

Whittaker Moss Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL11 5XP

Ages 3–11 437 pupils Capacity 436

Ashfield Valley Primary School

Primary · Community school

Rochdale · OL11 1TA

Ages 3–11 239 pupils Capacity 230

Showing 12 of 60. View all schools in Rochdale →

Schools in Manchester

21 schools

Sunny Brow Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Manchester · M24 4AD

Ages 3–4 55 pupils

Alkrington Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M24 1JZ

Ages 2–11 516 pupils Capacity 505

Elm Wood Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M24 2EG

Ages 2–11 450 pupils Capacity 454

Hollin Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M24 6JG

Ages 3–11 365 pupils Capacity 330

Parkfield Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M24 4AF

Ages 4–11 214 pupils Capacity 210

St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Manchester · M24 2BE

Ages 3–11 224 pupils Capacity 240

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M24 1FL

Ages 4–11 212 pupils Capacity 210

St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M24 5GL

Ages 3–11 468 pupils Capacity 480

St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, Middleton, Rochdale

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M24 1PY

Ages 3–11 319 pupils Capacity 315

St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Alkrington

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M24 1GD

Ages 4–11 205 pupils Capacity 210

Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School

Secondary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M24 2GL

Ages 11–18 1199 pupils Capacity 1200

Hopwood Hall College

All through · Further education

Manchester · M24 6XH

Ages 16–99

Showing 12 of 21. View all schools in Manchester →

Schools in Heywood

13 schools

Harwood Park Primary School

Primary · Community school

Heywood · OL10 1DG

Ages 3–11 317 pupils Capacity 420

Hopwood Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Heywood · OL10 2HN

Ages 4–11 419 pupils Capacity 420

St Luke's Church of England Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Heywood · OL10 4XB

Ages 3–11 386 pupils Capacity 446

All Souls Church of England Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Heywood · OL10 4DF

Ages 3–11 233 pupils Capacity 204

St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Bamford

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Heywood · OL10 4BB

Ages 3–11 231 pupils Capacity 210

Oak Haven School

Not applicable · Community special school

Heywood · OL10 3PY

Ages 7–16 81 pupils Capacity 100

Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College

Secondary · Voluntary aided school

Heywood · OL10 2AA

Ages 11–16 763 pupils Capacity 750

Woodland Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Heywood · OL10 3BX

Ages 4–11 567 pupils Capacity 630

Newhouse Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led

Heywood · OL10 2NT

Ages 11–16 980 pupils Capacity 1050

Our Lady & St Paul's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Primary · Academy sponsor led

Heywood · OL10 3PD

Ages 3–11 216 pupils Capacity 220

Edgar Wood Academy

Secondary · Free schools

Heywood · OL10 2QN

Ages 11–16 637 pupils Capacity 900

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School Rochdale, a Voluntary Academy

Primary · Academy converter

Heywood · OL10 2AA

Ages 4–11 380 pupils Capacity 420

Showing 12 of 13. View all schools in Heywood →

Schools in Littleborough

5 schools

Littleborough Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Littleborough · OL15 9HW

Ages 3–11 324 pupils Capacity 465

Stansfield Hall Church of England / Methodist Church Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Littleborough · OL15 9PR

Ages 3–11 103 pupils Capacity 120

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Littleborough · OL15 9DB

Ages 4–11 199 pupils Capacity 220

Smithy Bridge Foundation Primary School

Primary · Foundation school

Littleborough · OL15 0ES

Ages 3–11 411 pupils Capacity 450

St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Primary · Academy converter

Littleborough · OL15 8DU

Ages 3–11 Capacity 210

Schools in Other

2 schools

Elizabeth House School

Not applicable · Other independent school

· M24 4BD

Ages 11–18 5 pupils Capacity 6

Rochdale Islamic Academy

Not applicable · Other independent school

· OL12 0HZ

Ages 11–16 119 pupils Capacity 200

Schools in MANCHESTER

1 school

Boarshaw Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

MANCHESTER · M24 2PB

Ages 3–11 468 pupils Capacity 446

Schools in Preston

1 school

Cedar Lodge School

Not applicable · Other independent special school

Preston · PR2 2DW

Ages 11–18 4 pupils Capacity 6

Schools in Slattocks

1 school

St John's Church of England Primary School, Thornham

Primary · Academy converter

Slattocks · M24 2SB

Ages 4–11 120 pupils Capacity 105

Schools in Bury

1 school

Heap Bridge Village Primary School

Primary · Academy converter

Bury · BL9 7JP

Ages 5–11 168 pupils Capacity 175