Nicol Mere School, Wigan
Nicol Mere School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wigan. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 247th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.6 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- 1.6 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Nicol Mere School in detail
Nicol Mere School in its own words
In its own words: "We believe that education is more than just academic success-it’s about inspiring a lifelong love of learning that shapes confident, well-rounded individuals. Our mission is to create an inclusive, nurturing, and stimulating environment where every child feels valued, encouraged, and supported to reach their full potential."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, multi-sports, dance, choir, chess and sewing.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at Nicol Mere 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 fell from 100% in reading and 100% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Nicol Mere School
For September 2026 entry, 96 families put Nicol Mere School as their first choice and 150 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.6 first choices for every place. 37 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Nicol Mere School are Bryn St Peter's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 90% maths); R L Hughes Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 97% maths); St Oswald's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 60% reading, 66% maths); and St Thomas CofE Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 62% reading, 69% maths).
Nicol Mere School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Bryn St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolR L Hughes Primary SchoolSt Oswald's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Thomas CofE Primary School
Who goes there
4.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 68 pupils (16.3%) received SEN support and 8 (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 Bryn Rail Station, about 330 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Old Road (near), 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Nicol Mere School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Nicol Mere School are Cansfield High School (0.3 miles); St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield (1.1 miles); and The Byrchall High School (1.1 miles).
Cansfield High SchoolSt Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-MakerfieldThe Byrchall High School
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Nicol Mere School creates an exceptional learning environment where children develop into confident, articulate learners who make outstanding progress. Staff are passionate about teaching and expertly adapt lessons to help all pupils, including those with additional needs, succeed. The school goes far beyond academics, offering abundant opportunities for personal development including financial awareness, fundraising, and emotional well-being support.
Key Strengths
- Expertly crafted curriculum with precise knowledge progression from early years through Year 6
- Highly trained staff who deliver lessons with expertise and enthusiasm, making strong connections between prior and new learning
- Exceptional focus on reading with a rigorous phonics programme and celebration of books and authors
- Outstanding support for pupils with SEND who achieve exceptionally well and are fully included in school life
- Exemplary behaviour and conduct, with impeccable manners and exceptionally strong relationships between staff and pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Author celebration days, fundraising events, mental health champion roles, cooking activities, physical education, art and design projects
Nicol Mere School is an outstanding primary school where pupils are immensely proud and happy to attend. The school provides exceptional care, guidance, and a vast array of enriching events and activities.
At a Glance
23.4%
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 97% (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
29.8
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
9
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Nicol Mere School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Nicol Mere School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Nicol Mere 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
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Nicol Mere School
Will you get a place at Nicol Mere School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Nicol Mere School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Nicol Mere School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Nicol Mere School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Nicol Mere 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
101%
Over capacity
420 pupils
414 places
6 pupils over capacity 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: 1.6 first choices per place
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
68
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
18.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
418
Total Pupils
227
Boys
191
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,359
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,097
Per pupil
£2402k
Total funding
£152k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.4%
Overall absence
3.8%
Persistent absence
367
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
Questions parents ask about Nicol Mere School
What are SATs results like at Nicol Mere School?
Of the pupils at Nicol Mere School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 97% did so in maths.
What is Nicol Mere School's Ofsted rating?
Nicol Mere School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023.
What is the catchment area for Nicol Mere School?
No fixed boundary. When Nicol Mere 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 Nicol Mere School?
Nicol Mere School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Nicol Mere School?
Classes at Nicol Mere 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 Nicol Mere School?
Nicol Mere School has around 418 pupils on roll. 23% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Nicol Mere School?
3.4% of sessions were missed at Nicol Mere School in 2024/25. 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Nicol Mere School?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming Nicol Mere 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.
How many road collisions happen near Nicol Mere School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Nicol Mere School?
Nicol Mere School is at Roman Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8DF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)