Holy Family Catholic Academy, Wigan
Holy Family Catholic Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Wigan, part of St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 50th-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wigan (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Family Catholic Academy in detail
Holy Family Catholic Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to welcome you to Holy Family Catholic Academy. Our aim is to give your child the best education possible built on the Gospel principles of Jesus Christ."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 6:00pm.
Coming up: an open day on Friday 6 November 2026 and an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Family Catholic Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Wigan and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 95% in reading and 95% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Family Catholic Academy
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Holy Family Catholic Academy as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Family Catholic Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Family Catholic Academy are St John's Church of England Primary School, Abram (0.3 miles, Good, 65% reading, 76% maths); Platt Bridge Community School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 76% maths); St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 64% reading, 73% maths); and St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Hindley (1.3 miles, Good, 76% reading, 71% maths).
Holy Family Catholic Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St John's Church of England Primary School, AbramPlatt Bridge Community SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary SchoolSt Peter's Church of England Primary School, Hindley
The trust
Holy Family Catholic Academy is one of 11 schools run by St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
42 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Family Catholic Academy (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).
Who goes there
41.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 32.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (57%) and Black (27%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ince (Manchester) Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wigan Street (near), 120 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Family Catholic Academy issued 9 suspensions, 3.6 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 multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Holy Family Catholic Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Holy Family Catholic Primary School Platt Bridge (URN 106496), it was rated Good in July 2019.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holy Family Catholic Academy creates a happy, welcoming school community where all pupils - including those new to the school - quickly feel part of the family. Teachers are skilled at explaining difficult concepts and checking pupils understand, helping children build strong foundations in their learning. The school provides excellent support for children's emotional well-being and encourages them to be kind, caring and respectful of others.
Key Strengths
- Strong strategic leadership from trustees and governors who know the school exceptionally well
- Highly effective curriculum in several subjects where teachers explain concepts skilfully and help pupils build deep knowledge
- Reading is well prioritised with effective phonics delivery and carefully selected books that celebrate diversity
- Quick identification of pupils' additional needs and SEND, with carefully matched learning that helps these pupils progress well
- Strong promotion of personal development with pupils being respectful, tolerant and well-prepared for their future lives
Areas for Improvement
- Some subject curriculums are newly implemented or under review, meaning some teachers are still becoming familiar with content and pupils don't revisit previous learning as well as in other subjects
- Early years staff don't always make full use of high-quality interactions with children, which sometimes limits opportunities to expand vocabulary and deepen thinking
- Attendance, while improving, remains an area the school continues to work on
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, playleaders, mindfulness Monday activities, well done Wednesday activities, fundraising for charities, breakfast with a book events
Holy Family Catholic Academy is a primary school with high aspirations for pupils' academic success and a happy school community where pupils feel welcome and supported. The school has established an ambitious curriculum and provides strong support for pupils' wider development and well-being.
At a Glance
41.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
42 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 95% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 95% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 76% to 65% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.0
Avg class size
26.5
Infant (KS1)
25.8
KS2
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Family Catholic Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Holy Family Catholic Academy.
- First Kick Football870m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Family Catholic Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Family Catholic Academy 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
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 9 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 Holy Family Catholic Academy
Will you get a place at Holy Family Catholic Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Family Catholic Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Family Catholic Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Family Catholic Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holy Family Catholic Academy for 2023 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
93%
Near capacity
190 pupils
205 places
15 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
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
39
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
20.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
228
Total Pupils
122
Boys
106
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
20.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,460
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,282
Per pupil
£1358k
Total funding
£114k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.0%
Overall absence
23.1%
Persistent absence
173
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
Holy Family Catholic Academy
Questions parents ask about Holy Family Catholic Academy
What are SATs results like at Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Of the pupils at Holy Family Catholic Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Holy Family Catholic Academy's Ofsted rating?
Holy Family Catholic Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2022. Before that, as Holy Family Catholic Primary School Platt Bridge (URN 106496), it was rated Good in July 2019.
What is the catchment area for Holy Family Catholic Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Family Catholic Academy is oversubscribed, Wigan allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Holy Family Catholic Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 205 places.
How big are the classes at Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Classes at Holy Family Catholic Academy average 25 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 Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Holy Family Catholic Academy has around 228 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Family Catholic Academy?
7% of sessions were missed at Holy Family Catholic Academy in 2024/25. 23.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Family Catholic Academy 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 Holy Family Catholic Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Holy Family Catholic Academy: First Kick Football (870m 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 Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 9 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Holy Family Catholic Academy?
Holy Family Catholic Academy is at Wigan Street, Platt Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire, WN2 5JF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)