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Schools in Atherton

Greater Manchester · Wigan · 1 schools

New inspection results and open days, weekly by email.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days

Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Wigan (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.

Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days

Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Wigan (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.

Nearest primary
Parklee Primary School

0.3 km away

Nearest secondary
Atherton High School

0 km away · Good

Area quality

5

of 13 in & around Atherton rated Good or Outstanding

Schools in Atherton (1)

  • Atherton High School

    Secondary · Ages 11-16 · M46 0AY

    Ofsted: Good (2024)Attainment 8: 46.2 (2026)92% of first choices got in

By type:Secondary schools in Atherton (1)

Total Schools

1

0 primary · 1 secondary

Total Pupils

561

102% capacity used

Ofsted Rated

1

0 outstanding · 1 good

Capacity

550

11 over capacity

Ofsted Ratings

1
Good: 1

Area Performance (2026)

Attainment 8

46.2

GCSE Eng+Maths

38.2%

School Capacity & Demand

Housing Growth Detected

44 new homes approved nearby. This could generate an estimated +11 primary and +8 secondary pupils.

Source: MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years)

Secondary Schools

HIGH pressure
561 pupils550 capacity

102% occupied · 11 over capacity

Projected additional demand: +8 pupils

Questions parents ask about schools in Atherton

How many schools are there in Atherton?

Atherton has 1 open school.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Are there any Outstanding schools in Atherton?

None of the 1 graded schools in Atherton currently holds an Outstanding rating. 1 is rated Good, so 100% are Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Source: Ofsted

Are there grammar schools in Atherton?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Atherton selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Atherton have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Atherton have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Wigan allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Atherton?

Apply to Wigan through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.