Gilded Hollins Community School, Leigh
Gilded Hollins Community School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Leigh. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 15 schools in Leigh with published results, and 172nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wigan (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gilded Hollins Community School in detail
Gilded Hollins Community School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Gilded Hollins Community School - a school where we are proud of our high expectations for attainment, achievement, attitude and behaviour. At Gilded Hollins our staff work hard to ensure that every pupil is enabled to shine in a positive, engaging and caring environment."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include coding and gardening.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 6:00pm, from £6.00 per day.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Gilded Hollins Community School reached the expected standard in reading and 97% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Wigan and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (97% in reading, 97% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Gilded Hollins Community School
For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Gilded Hollins Community School as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Gilded Hollins Community School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gilded Hollins Community School are Lowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 84% maths); Lowton Junior and Infant School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, 63% reading, 69% maths); Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington (1.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 63% maths); and St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton (1.3 miles, Good, 83% reading, 87% maths).
Gilded Hollins Community School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Lowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary SchoolLowton Junior and Infant SchoolChrist Church CofE Primary School, PenningtonSt Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
Who goes there
7.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 31 pupils (14.8%) received SEN support and 4 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows Rail Station, about 3.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moss Industrial Estate (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Gilded Hollins Community School issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from January 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Gilded Hollins creates a welcoming, respectful environment where pupils thrive academically and personally. The school excels in teaching reading and provides many opportunities for children to develop as leaders and take on responsibilities. Behaviour is managed well, creating a calm atmosphere where most pupils concentrate and learn effectively.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading culture with expert phonics teaching and pupils reading widely across different text types
- Well-designed curriculum that builds securely on prior learning from Reception to Year 6
- Many leadership opportunities for pupils including school council, library leaders and play leaders
- Effective behaviour management with calm atmosphere across the school
- High proportion of pupils participating in extra-curricular activities
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, leaders do not check whether the curriculum is being delivered as intended, which hinders support for staff
- Teachers in some subjects do not sufficiently adapt learning for pupils with SEND despite having information about their needs
- Need to ensure subject leaders are better equipped to support staff in delivering curriculum with confidence
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a robust culture where all staff understand their responsibility, are well-trained to recognise harm, and work collaboratively with outside agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening club, ballet, choir, computing club, library leaders, play leaders, school council
Gilded Hollins Community School continues to be a good school where pupils are confident, happy and feel safe. The school has a strong culture of respect, high expectations for achievement, and offers a broad, ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
7.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Gilded Hollins Community School
25.09.2026
25 Sep 2026
11.09.2026
11 Sep 2026
26.06.26
26 Jun 2026
12.06.26
12 Jun 2026
22.05.26
22 May 2026
08.05.2026
8 May 2026
From Gilded Hollins Community School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Gilded Hollins Community School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Gilded Hollins Community School.
- Kumon Lowton Study Centre830m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gilded Hollins Community School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gilded Hollins Community School 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 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 Gilded Hollins Community School
Will you get a place at Gilded Hollins Community School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gilded Hollins Community School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gilded Hollins Community School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gilded Hollins Community School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gilded Hollins Community School for 2014 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
102%
Over capacity
211 pupils
207 places
4 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leigh
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leigh
Across Wigan council
Places available
3,894
Applications
3,541
Got 1st preference
88.7%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All primary applications across Wigan council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
31
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
16.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
209
Total Pupils
103
Boys
106
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,952
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,068
Per pupil
£1162k
Total funding
£27k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.4%
Overall absence
6.5%
Persistent absence
184
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Gilded Hollins Community School
Questions parents ask about Gilded Hollins Community School
What are SATs results like at Gilded Hollins Community School?
Of the pupils at Gilded Hollins Community School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Gilded Hollins Community School's Ofsted rating?
Gilded Hollins Community School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Gilded Hollins Community School?
No fixed boundary. When Gilded Hollins Community School is oversubscribed, Wigan allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gilded Hollins Community School?
Gilded Hollins Community School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Gilded Hollins Community School?
Classes at Gilded Hollins Community School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Gilded Hollins Community School?
Gilded Hollins Community School has around 209 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gilded Hollins Community School?
4.4% of sessions were missed at Gilded Hollins Community School in 2024/25. 6.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gilded Hollins Community School?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming Gilded Hollins Community School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Gilded Hollins Community School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Gilded Hollins Community School: Kumon Lowton Study Centre (830m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Gilded Hollins Community School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 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 Gilded Hollins Community School?
Gilded Hollins Community School is at St Helen's Road, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 3PQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)