St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wigan. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 45th-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- 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
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School in detail
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "On their journey through our school, children will GROW TOGETHER, supported by a school community, to strengthen their FAITH; LOVE one another and LEARN to achieve excellence in everything they do."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include guitar and recorder.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 5:30pm.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 68% 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 (73% in reading, 77% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 65 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 St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School are Millbrook Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 66% maths); Shevington Vale Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 77% reading, 80% maths); Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 60% reading, 70% maths); and Wood Fold Primary School (1.2 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 89% maths).
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Millbrook Primary SchoolShevington Vale Primary SchoolStandish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary SchoolWood Fold Primary School
Who goes there
13.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 10.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Asian (5%).
In 2026, 20 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 9 (4.7%) 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 Gathurst Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Parish Hall (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School are Shevington High School (0.5 miles) and Standish Community High School (1.4 miles).
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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
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 July 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Bernadette's successfully develops pupils' love of learning and care for others. The school has created a calm, supportive environment where all pupils, including those with additional needs, are included and achieve well. Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum enhanced by trips, clubs and visitors that promote their wider development.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum with clear identification of essential knowledge and the order it should be taught
- Effective early reading programme - most pupils become fluent readers by end of Year 2
- Quick identification and support for pupils with additional needs
- Calm, orderly atmosphere with attentive pupils and minimal disruption to learning
- Strong pastoral care and support for pupils' emotional and mental well-being
Areas for Improvement
- Sometimes teachers do not select the most appropriate learning activities to deliver important topics, which limits some pupils' learning
- Occasional weaknesses in activity design impact on learning of some pupils with SEND
- Need to ensure equally deep subject knowledge development across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - all staff know how to keep pupils safe, concerns are reported diligently, leaders follow up swiftly and make referrals when required.
Extracurricular Activities
Archery, gardening, tennis, school council, planet protectors, reading buddies, trips to museum
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School is a Good school where pupils are proud to attend and feel happy, safe and well cared for. Leaders have high expectations and have developed a well-organised, ambitious curriculum that helps pupils achieve well.
At a Glance
13.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 77% to 68% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.3
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
28.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School.
- Stagecoach Wigan890m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Bernadette's Catholic Primary 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 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 Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary 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
90%
Near capacity
190 pupils
210 places
20 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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
20
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
15.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
191
Total Pupils
111
Boys
80
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,146
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,247
Per pupil
£1094k
Total funding
£36k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
5.1%
Persistent absence
175
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 Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 68% did so in maths.
What is St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2023.
What is the catchment area for St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Bernadette's Catholic Primary 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 St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School average 27.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School has around 191 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 5.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming St Bernadette's Catholic Primary 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 St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School: Stagecoach Wigan (890m 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 Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Bernadette's Catholic Primary School?
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School is at Church Lane, Shevington, Wigan, Lancashire, WN6 8BD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)