Orrell Holgate Academy, Wigan
Orrell Holgate Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wigan, part of The Rowan Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 1,154th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than 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 27 Oct 2026
Orrell Holgate Academy in detail
Orrell Holgate Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Please don't hesitate to contact the school office if you cant find what you are looking for. The school day is busy and exciting. The school week is 32 hours 55 minutes with an optional 10 minutes per morning for staggered arrival creating an extra 50 mins per week for parents if needed."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils at Orrell Holgate Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 90% 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 90% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Orrell Holgate Academy
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Orrell Holgate Academy as their first choice and 92 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Orrell Holgate Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Orrell Holgate Academy are St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell (0.4 miles, Good, 90% reading, 88% maths); Orrell Newfold Community Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 95% reading, 98% maths); Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy (1 mile, Outstanding, 87% reading, 82% maths); and St Thomas the Martyr Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School (1 mile, Good, 84% reading, 84% maths).
Orrell Holgate Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St James' Catholic Primary School OrrellOrrell Newfold Community Primary SchoolOrrell Lamberhead Green AcademySt Thomas the Martyr Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School
The trust
Orrell Holgate Academy is one of 12 schools run by The Rowan Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
52 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Orrell Holgate Academy (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Who goes there
7.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (11.6%) received SEN support and 5 (2.5%) 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 Orrell Rail Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Holgate School (outside), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Orrell Holgate Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Orrell Holgate Academy are Up Holland High School (0.5 miles), St Peter's Catholic High School (0.6 miles) and Dean Trust Wigan (1 mile).
Up Holland High SchoolSt Peter's Catholic High SchoolDean Trust Wigan
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
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2011, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Orrell Holgate Academy is a welcoming school where children thrive and feel comfortable being themselves. The curriculum is carefully designed to help pupils remember key knowledge and connect learning across subjects, preparing them exceptionally well for secondary school. The school excels at supporting all pupils, including those with additional needs, and creates a strong sense of community where older pupils support younger ones through their buddy system.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious curriculum that fires pupils' imagination and helps them connect ideas across subjects
- Early reading and phonics given high priority with pupils becoming fluent readers
- Exceptional support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they achieve highly across the curriculum
- Pupils demonstrate very high levels of respect, kindness and positive behaviour
- Rich opportunities for character development woven through the curriculum and school life
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Art and craft, knitting, gardening, debating, netball, football, sports council, physical challenges, leadership opportunities
Orrell Holgate Academy is a primary school where pupils flourish and achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum. Evidence from this inspection suggests the school's work has improved significantly since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
18.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
52 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 100% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 90% to 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Orrell Holgate Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Orrell Holgate Academy.
- Holly Tree Pre-school and Trackers - Orrell Newfold Cp School850m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Orrell Holgate Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Orrell Holgate 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot.
4 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 Orrell Holgate Academy
Will you get a place at Orrell Holgate Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Orrell Holgate Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Orrell Holgate Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Orrell Holgate Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Orrell Holgate Academy for 2017 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
96%
Near capacity
202 pupils
210 places
8 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
14.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
198
Total Pupils
101
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
16.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,708
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,241
Per pupil
£1162k
Total funding
£52k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
7.7%
Persistent absence
182
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
Orrell Holgate Academy
Questions parents ask about Orrell Holgate Academy
What are SATs results like at Orrell Holgate Academy?
Of the pupils at Orrell Holgate Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Orrell Holgate Academy's Ofsted rating?
Orrell Holgate Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Orrell Holgate Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Orrell Holgate 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 Orrell Holgate Academy?
Orrell Holgate Academy was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Orrell Holgate Academy?
Classes at Orrell Holgate Academy average 28.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Orrell Holgate Academy?
Orrell Holgate Academy has around 198 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Orrell Holgate Academy?
4% of sessions were missed at Orrell Holgate Academy in 2024/25. 7.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Orrell Holgate Academy?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming Orrell Holgate 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 Orrell Holgate Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Orrell Holgate Academy: Holly Tree Pre-school and Trackers - Orrell Newfold Cp School (850m 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 Orrell Holgate Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 7 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot. 4 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 Orrell Holgate Academy?
Orrell Holgate Academy is at Moor Road, Orrell, Wigan, Lancashire, WN5 8SJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)