St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell, Wigan

Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell on 7 areas: 3 strong standard and 4 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders check pupils' attendance meticulously."

Early years - Strong standard. "Children blossom in the early years."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have implemented a highly effective programme to support pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils progress well through the school's curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have put in place an ambitious, well-thought-out curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders use well-established systems to identify the needs of pupils who face barriers to their learning and/or well being."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious and have high expectations of pupils' achievement and personal development."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies more effectively to identify and address the gaps that pupils have in their learning"; "Leaders should refine their checks on how well the curriculum is delivered so that teachers are even better equipped to enable pupils to achieve highly".

Coming up: an admissions event on Friday 15 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell reached the expected standard in reading and 88% 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 (92% in reading, 90% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 54 families put St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell as their first choice and 113 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell are Orrell Newfold Community Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding, 95% reading, 98% maths); Orrell Holgate Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 93% reading, 90% maths); St Thomas the Martyr Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 84% reading, 84% maths); and Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy (1.4 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 82% maths).

St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

9.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 42 pupils (12.1%) received SEN support and 3 (0.9%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Orrell Rail Station, about 410 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St James's Primary School (outside), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell are Up Holland High School (0.2 miles), St Peter's Catholic High School (1 mile) and Dean Trust Wigan (1.3 miles).