The Westleigh School, Leigh

In its own words: "Our values and ethos are integral to everything we do at the Westleigh School. They have been distilled into the following statement: At The Westleigh School, our values and ethos are the foundation upon which we build our community."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am extremely pleased to be addressing you as the Executive Headteacher of The Westleigh School. I am privileged to hold the position of Executive Headteacher and I am proud to work in a school that is rightly recognised as the most improved in the borough."

In 2026, pupils at The Westleigh School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45.8 in Wigan and 47 across England.

43% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Wigan and 47% in England.

That is up from 36.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.81: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 41.2, against 47.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.4 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 154 families put The Westleigh School as their first choice and 295 named it as one of their preferences, for 188 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Westleigh School are Atherton High School (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.2); Outwood Academy Hindley (1.9 miles, Attainment 8 44.3); Fred Longworth High School (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.9); and Bedford High School (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.2).

The Westleigh School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Westleigh School is one of 31 schools run by The Shaw Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 42.2 in 2024/25.

Of the 172 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 69% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

44.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Daisy Hill Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Westleigh School (outside), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, The Westleigh School issued 159 suspensions, 16.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Westleigh School are Leigh Westleigh Methodist Primary School (0.1 miles), Twelve Apostles Catholic Primary School (0.2 miles), Westleigh St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.2 miles) and Newton Westpark Primary School (0.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.