St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Nr Wigan

Good
Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Catholic
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~897m)Possible (~1.3km)Unlikely (~1.7km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Ruth Martin
Pupils:177 / 210 capacity
LA:St. Helens
Phone:01744678610
Website:bstm.co.uk
Address:St Mary's School, Birchley Road, Billinge, Nr Wigan, WN5 7QJ
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:104813
UKPRN:10074990
Diocese:Archdiocese of Liverpool
Constituency:St Helens North
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Mary's creates a welcoming, caring community where children feel safe and happy. The school excels at teaching reading and mathematics, with pupils becoming fluent readers by the end of Key Stage 1. All children benefit from enriching activities that help them develop into thoughtful, respectful citizens prepared for life in modern Britain.

Key Strengths

  • Strong teaching of English and mathematics with careful checking of what pupils know and remember
  • Excellent reading culture starting in Reception Year with high-quality books and well-trained phonics teaching
  • Outstanding personal development opportunities helping pupils understand British values and healthy relationships
  • Warm, welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and valued by staff
  • Pupils take pride in being positive citizens through buddy systems, school choir performances, and fundraising

Areas for Improvement

  • Some wider curriculum subjects lack detailed planning of key knowledge pupils should learn
  • A very small number of pupils with SEND struggle to access learning because lesson activities are not consistently adapted to meet their needs
  • Inconsistent curriculum adaptations for pupils with SEND mean their learning is sometimes insecure

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

School choir performances for local residents, fundraising for charities, buddy system, breakfast club, after-school provision

St Mary's Catholic Primary School is judged Good overall, with outstanding personal development provision. The school has ambitious curricula in English and mathematics where pupils achieve well, though some wider subjects need more detailed planning.

At a Glance

6.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-6ppMaths-6ppWriting-3pp

Reading has declined from 100% to 94%. Maths has declined from 100% to 94%. Writing has remained stable at around 94%.

Class Sizes

26.6

Avg class size

24.3

Infant (KS1)

28.3

KS2

7

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Latest from St Mary's Catholic Primary School

From St Mary's Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.

Getting There

Bus Stops

Holt Avenue (adj)
113m · 2 min walk
Trent Road (SE-bound)
125m · 2 min walk
Lilac Grove (adj)
210m · 3 min walk
Clifton Road (N-bound)
228m · 4 min walk
Ribble Crescent (SW-bound)
304m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

84%

Available places

177 pupils

210 capacity

33 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Nr Wigan

Low pressure
New homes approved:54
Projected new pupils:14

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Nr Wigan

Admissions Demand - St. Helens

Low demand0.79x oversubscription

Places available

2,195

Applications

1,726

Got 1st preference

93.9%

Got preferred school

99.2%

Primary admissions across St. Helens (2025/26)

Inspection History(105)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.26071%

Overall absence

5.91716%

Persistent absence

169

Enrolments

Authorised3.29251%
Unauthorised0.9682%
Persistent (10%+)5.91716%
Severe (50%+)0.59172%

Absence trend

2.8843%
18/19
1.7638%
20/21
4.93694%
21/22
3.86279%
22/23
3.79712%
23/24
4.26071%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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