St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton, Warrington
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Warrington. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 33rd-highest of the 69 schools in Warrington with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 105% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton in detail
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am so proud to be the Headteacher of this wonderful school. Our school is a caring Catholic community which places the happiness and achievement of all our children at the heart of what we do."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, dance and drama.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care, from £4 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton reached the expected standard in reading and 87% 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 (84% in reading, 84% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton are St Luke's CofE Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths); Lowton Junior and Infant School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 63% reading, 69% maths); Lowton West Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 71% reading, 82% maths); and Lowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 77% reading, 84% maths).
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Luke's CofE Primary SchoolLowton Junior and Infant SchoolLowton West Primary SchoolLowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School
Who goes there
12.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 11.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (9.9%) received SEN support and 4 (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 Newton-le-Willows Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Osborne Road (se-bound), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton are Golborne High School (0.9 miles) and Lowton Church of England High School (1 mile).
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 · 4 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
12.7%
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 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.3
Avg class size
30.3
Infant (KS1)
30.3
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 St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton.
- Jumping Jacks Before and Afterschool Club640m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
Will you get a place at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wigan, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton 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
105%
Over capacity
213 pupils
203 places
10 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Warrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Warrington
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
11.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
112
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
23.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,190
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,262
Per pupil
£1236k
Total funding
£44k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
11.6%
Persistent absence
189
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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
Questions parents ask about St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton
What are SATs results like at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
Of the pupils at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton's Ofsted rating?
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
No fixed boundary. When St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton 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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton was full in 2025, at 105% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
Classes at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton average 30.3 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 St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton has around 212 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
5.2% of sessions were missed at St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton in 2024/25. 11.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
Apply through Wigan's coordinated admissions process, naming St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton 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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton: Jumping Jacks Before and Afterschool Club (640m 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 Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Wigan is 10 (the median across 146 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton?
St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton is at Cranham Avenue, Lowton, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 2PQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)