St Catharine's CofE Primary School, Wigan
St Catharine's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wigan. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 62nd-highest of the 67 schools in Wigan with published results, and 12,528th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 107% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
St Catharine's CofE Primary School in detail
St Catharine's CofE Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Here at St Catharine’s our children are at the heart of all that we do. We are committed to providing a loving, safe Christian community where together we prepare our children for future success."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cricket, multi-sports, gardening and cheerleading.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 52% of Year 6 pupils at St Catharine's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% 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 (50% in reading, 73% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Catharine's CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put St Catharine's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 60 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Catharine's CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Catharine's CofE Primary School are St Patrick's Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles, Outstanding, 90% reading, 83% maths); Britannia Bridge Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 58% reading, 81% maths); St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 97% reading, 73% maths); and St William's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 68% reading, 75% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Catharine's CofE Primary School.
St Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolBritannia Bridge Primary SchoolSt Mary and St John Catholic Primary SchoolSt William's Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
53.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 30 pupils (14.6%) received SEN support and 5 (2.4%) 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 Ince (Manchester) Rail Station, about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Birkett Street (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Catharine's CofE Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Catharine's CofE Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Catharine's CofE Primary School are Dean Trust Rose Bridge (0.3 miles), The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College (0.9 miles) and St John Fisher Catholic High School (1.7 miles).
Dean Trust Rose BridgeThe Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form CollegeSt John Fisher Catholic 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); 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 June 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, supportive community where children thrive both academically and personally. Reading is a particular strength, with expert teaching that builds confidence and a genuine love of books from the earliest years. The school's ambitious curriculum brings learning to life through real-world experiences, helping pupils discover new talents and interests.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and conduct from pupils in a calm, distraction-free learning environment
- Excellent reading programme with systematic phonics teaching and skilled staff who quickly identify and support pupils who need extra help
- Strong curriculum design with engaging 'brilliant beginning' experiences like museum visits and beach trips that spark pupils' interest
- Outstanding leadership and management with ambitious vision for all pupils, including those with special educational needs
- Pupils build strong bonds with staff and feel happy and safe at school
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects still need clearer definition of subject-specific vocabulary that pupils must learn and the order in which to teach it
- Pupils' knowledge of democracy and some aspects of personal development are less well developed
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong culture of care and vigilance, well-trained staff who respond quickly to concerns, and leaders working closely with families and external agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre trips, sailing lessons, clubs
St Catharine's C of E Primary School is a good school where pupils are proud to learn together in a calm and purposeful environment. The school has outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with excellent leadership that is ambitious for all pupils.
At a Glance
53.2%
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 52% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
28.7
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Catharine's CofE Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Catharine's CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Catharine's CofE 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
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 13 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
7 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 Catharine's CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Catharine's CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Catharine's CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Catharine's CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Catharine's CofE 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 Catharine's CofE 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
107%
Over capacity
206 pupils
192 places
14 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
17.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
205
Total Pupils
99
Boys
106
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
18.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,094
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,241
Per pupil
£1512k
Total funding
£161k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
14.9%
Persistent absence
181
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 Catharine's CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Catharine's CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Catharine's CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 52% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is St Catharine's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Catharine's CofE Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Catharine's CofE 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 Catharine's CofE Primary School?
St Catharine's CofE Primary School was full in 2025, at 107% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Catharine's CofE Primary School average 29.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
St Catharine's CofE Primary School has around 205 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at St Catharine's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 14.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming St Catharine's CofE 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Catharine's CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 13 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 7 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 Catharine's CofE Primary School?
St Catharine's CofE Primary School is at Scholefield Lane, Scholes, Wigan, Lancashire, WN1 3LP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)