Like all schools in Salford LEA, it is for ages 11–16 with no sixth form, because it is Local Authority run there is no exam to pass to gain entry into the school, local pupils are automatically placed into the nearest high school. However, if they wish to attend a certain high school they must complete the relevant forms and send them to Salford City Council as early as they can before the following academic year as places at the school are limited to 1,050. As of 2017 the school has 1,051 pupils attending. Moorside Primary School is the main feeder school locally with St Peter's CE Primary School in Swinton also being a feeder school in the area.
History
The school was originally located between the East Lancashire Road and Wentworth Road in Swinton.
Phil Neville's flying visit to pupils
In November 2007, England footballer Phil Neville visited the school by helicopter to thank pupils for supporting the New Children's Hospital Appeal. The school held a 20-minute question and answer session with Neville before being given a brief presentation about the New Children's Hospital Appeal.
Specialist College Status
In 2008 the school was granted special status in Mathematics and Computing. The school continues to improve in all aspects of the curriculum.
In 2018, teachers at the school who were members of the NASUWT union, took part in five days of industrial action in protest at "adverse management culture".
Site
The school was rebuilt between 2011 and 2013 with trees being removed from the Deans playing field and a new entrance from the East Lancashire Road. The new buildings opened in September 2013. Moorside Primary School is located on the same site in a purpose built part of the main building.
Academic performance
It gets average GCSE results and above average for Salford. The 2010 year group achieved 67% A*-Cs in all subjects with the Avg GCSE Points being 418.6. Moorside High School has been improving its GCSE results for the past five years:
2006 with 10% of pupils achieving 5 A*-C
2007 with 20% of pupils achieving 5 A*-C
2008 with 13% of pupils achieving 5 A*-C
2009 with 15% of pupils achieving 5 A*-C
2010 with 7% of pupils achieving 5 A*-C.
Notable former pupils
Notable past pupils include:
British actress Raffey Cassidy attended the school between 2013 and 2016, where she then moved to another school in the area.