St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan, Wigan
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Wigan. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 749th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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 26 Oct 2026
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan in detail
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of the whole community of St. Aidan's Catholic Primary School I would like to welcome you to our school. We hope that this is the beginning of a very long and happy association with our school."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 98% of Year 6 pupils at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Wigan and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 88% in reading and 93% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 33 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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan are Winstanley Community Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 86% maths); Marus Bridge Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 89% reading, 88% maths); Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 86% maths); and St Paul's Church of England Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 77% reading, 67% maths).
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Winstanley Community Primary SchoolMarus Bridge Primary SchoolHighfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Paul's Church of England Primary School
What parents say
64 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (91%).
Who goes there
5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 51 pupils (15.9%) received SEN support and 9 (2.8%) 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 Pemberton Rail Station, about 910 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Aidan's School (near), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan issued 6 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan are Hawkley Hall High School (1.4 miles), Dean Trust Wigan (1.5 miles) and St Peter's Catholic High School (1.8 miles).
Hawkley Hall High SchoolDean Trust WiganSt Peter's Catholic High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 agoThis judgement is from January 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Aidan's creates a wonderfully welcoming environment where children are happy, confident and eager to learn. The school excels at teaching reading through well-trained phonics instruction, and provides outstanding support for all pupils including those with additional needs. Parents are very positive about the school, praising the dedicated staff and the way children thrive both academically and personally.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and attitudes to learning throughout the school
- Strong phonics teaching and reading programme - almost all pupils become confident readers by end of Year 2
- Well-designed curriculum with careful sequencing so pupils build on previous learning
- Early identification and effective support for pupils with SEND through tailored provisions
- Safe, secure and happy environment where pupils feel supported and encouraged
Areas for Improvement
- Some independent learning activities lack clear purpose and do not move pupils' learning forward as effectively as they should
- Pupils' handwriting skills are not developed to a high enough standard - some pupils leave Year 6 without mastering legible and accurate letter formation
- Teachers need more consistent guidance on designing effective subject-specific activities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture that prioritises pupil welfare and safety.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, theatre trips, zoo visits, museum trips, charity work including food bank support
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School is a happy, aspirational school where pupils thrive and show exemplary behaviour and attitudes. The school provides a broad, stimulating curriculum with a strong focus on reading and support for pupils with special educational needs.
At a Glance
5.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
64 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 improved from 88% to 98% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 93% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
23.6
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
12
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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Weekly Family Diaries - 5th October 2026
5 Oct 2026
Weekly Family Diaries - 28 Sept 2026
28 Sep 2026
Weekly Family Diaries - 21 Sept 2026
21 Sep 2026
Weekly Family Diaries - 14 Sept 2026
14 Sep 2026
Weekly Family Diaries - 07 Sept 2026
7 Sep 2026
Newsletter Dec. 2025
From St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan.
- The Bungalow School Club530m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan 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
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Will you get a place at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan 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
97%
Near capacity
304 pupils
315 places
11 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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
18.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
321
Total Pupils
160
Boys
161
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
21.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,258
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1612k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
3.7%
Persistent absence
269
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
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Questions parents ask about St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
What are SATs results like at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
Of the pupils at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 98% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.
What is St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan's Ofsted rating?
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
No fixed boundary. When St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan is oversubscribed, Wigan allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
Classes at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan average 24.3 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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan has around 321 pupils on roll. 5% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
4% of sessions were missed at St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan in 2024/25. 3.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan 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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan: The Bungalow School Club (530m 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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 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 St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan?
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan is at Holmes House Avenue, Winstanley, Wigan, Lancashire, WN3 6EE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)