Dean Trust Rose Bridge, Wigan
Dean Trust Rose Bridge is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Wigan, part of The Dean Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 12th-highest of the 13 schools in Wigan with published results, and 2,787th of 3,298 across England. It was 80% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Well below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Wigan (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Dean Trust Rose Bridge in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Dean Trust Rose Bridge averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.8 in Wigan and 47 across England.
34% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Wigan and 47% in England.
That is in line with 2025, when the score was 39.7.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.6: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 34.2, against 44.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and Hospitality and Catering.
Getting a place at Dean Trust Rose Bridge
For September 2026 entry, 96 families put Dean Trust Rose Bridge as their first choice and 201 named it as one of their preferences, for 148 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Dean Trust Rose Bridge
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Dean Trust Rose Bridge are The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2); St John Fisher Catholic High School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.5); Hawkley Hall High School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9); and Outwood Academy Hindley (2.2 miles, Attainment 8 44.3).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than Dean Trust Rose Bridge.
The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form CollegeSt John Fisher Catholic High SchoolHawkley Hall High SchoolOutwood Academy Hindley
The trust
Dean Trust Rose Bridge is one of 11 schools run by The Dean Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.5 in 2024/25.
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dean Trust Rose Bridge (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (80%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 133 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 73% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.
Who goes there
61.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 136 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 21 (3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ince (Manchester) Rail Station, about 840 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dean Trust Rose Bridge (outside), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Dean Trust Rose Bridge stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dean Trust Rose Bridge issued 39 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Dean Trust Rose Bridge are St Catharine's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles), St William's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), St Patrick's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles) and Ince CofE Primary School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Catharine's CofE Primary SchoolSt William's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolInce CofE Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Dean Trust Rose Bridge creates a calm, welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and supported. The school excels at promoting good behaviour, strong attendance and helping pupils develop confidence through a wide range of enrichment activities. Staff have strong relationships with families and the school is well supported by its trust in driving improvements.
Key Strengths
- Strong behaviour and attendance - clear systems have dramatically improved pupil conduct and school attendance
- Safe, caring environment - staff build trusting relationships with pupils and their families
- Effective safeguarding arrangements and strong community engagement
- Comprehensive careers guidance and advice for all pupils
- Well-planned enrichment opportunities that develop pupils' confidence and wider skills
Areas for Improvement
- New subject curriculums are not fully developed - some pupils miss out on building knowledge in a logical order, affecting achievement
- Teachers do not consistently use assessment information to identify and fix gaps in pupils' knowledge before moving on
- Curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND are not effective enough - not all teachers use information about additional needs to support these pupils properly
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school staff providing strong support and creating a safe, caring environment where pupils know they can ask for help.
Extracurricular Activities
Trampolining, dance, choir, debating, pupil parliament, international travel, charity work, mentoring opportunities with business and sports partnerships
Dean Trust Rose Bridge is a welcoming and safe secondary school where behaviour and personal development are strong. However, the quality of education requires improvement because new curriculums are not yet consistently delivering the knowledge pupils need to achieve well.
About
Dean Trust Rose Bridge is a mixed secondary school located in the Ince-in-Makerfield area of Wigan in the English county of Greater Manchester.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
61.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -1.10 to -0.60 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 36.0 to 38.9 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 21% to 34% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 38.9 | 34.1% |
| Disadvantaged(66) | - | 34.2 | 22.7% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(57) | - | 44.2 | 47.4% |
| Boys(66) | - | 39.6 | 42.4% |
| Girls(57) | - | 38.0 | 24.6% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(18) | - | 52.5 | 72.2% |
| Non mobile(118) | - | 38.5 | 33.1% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 133 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.14%
Exclusion rate
39
Suspensions
5.58%
Suspension rate
23 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 699 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Dean Trust Rose Bridge
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dean Trust Rose Bridge from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dean Trust Rose Bridge is in Wigan; for families living there:
Apply to Wigan for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Wigan is 10 (the median across 146 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Dean Trust Rose Bridge
Will you get a place at Dean Trust Rose Bridge? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Dean Trust Rose Bridge's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Dean Trust Rose Bridge:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Dean Trust Rose Bridge.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Dean Trust Rose Bridge for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Wigan got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
693 pupils
868 places
175 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wigan
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wigan
Across Wigan council
Places available
4,061
Applications
3,718
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Wigan council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
136
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
22.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
692
Total Pupils
348
Boys
344
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
45
Teachers
15.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,176
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,121
Per pupil
£6290k
Total funding
£433k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.7%
Overall absence
25.5%
Persistent absence
729
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Dean Trust Rose Bridge
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Dean Trust Rose Bridge
What are GCSE results like at Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Dean Trust Rose Bridge achieved an Attainment 8 score of 38.9. 34% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Dean Trust Rose Bridge's Ofsted rating?
Dean Trust Rose Bridge's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
No fixed boundary. When Dean Trust Rose Bridge is oversubscribed, Wigan allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Dean Trust Rose Bridge was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 868 places.
How big are the classes at Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Classes at Dean Trust Rose Bridge average 20.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Dean Trust Rose Bridge has around 692 pupils on roll. 61% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
8.7% of sessions were missed at Dean Trust Rose Bridge in 2024/25. 25.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming Dean Trust Rose Bridge on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Wigan is 10 (the median across 146 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dean Trust Rose Bridge?
Dean Trust Rose Bridge is at Holt Street, Ince, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN1 3HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)