Voluntary aided school · Wigan

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh

4–11Ages
204Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
106501URN

Mather Lane, Leigh, WN7 2PW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Mar 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

0.6 above Wigan median (1.9)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wigan

75 applications for 30 places · 24th of 96 in Wigan

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

45%met the expected standard

Wigan 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 24 March 2026Published 21 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

24 March 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
12 January 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.5applications per place, Reception

0.6 above Wigan median (1.9) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

75 applications · 30 places offered · 31 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Wigan median median 1.9
2025 2.2; Wigan median median 1.9
2024 2.1; Wigan median median 2.1
2023 2.3; Wigan median median 2.1
2022 2.2; Wigan median median 2.0
2021 2.6; Wigan median median 2.0
2020 2.7; Wigan median median 2.1
2019 2.5; Wigan median median 2.1
2018 3.3; Wigan median median 2.2
2017 3.3; Wigan median median 2.3
2016 3.8; Wigan median median 2.3
2015 4.1; Wigan median median 2.3
2014 4.4; Wigan median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Wigan median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Wigan median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	30	75	2.5	31	1.03
Sep 2025	30	66	2.2	35	1.17
Sep 2024	29	60	2.1	26	0.90
Sep 2023	30	69	2.3	29	0.97
Sep 2022	30	66	2.2	26	0.87
Sep 2021	25	64	2.6	24	0.96
Sep 2020	30	82	2.7	33	1.10
Sep 2019	30	74	2.5	31	1.03
Sep 2018	30	98	3.3	40	1.33
Sep 2017	30	100	3.3	42	1.40
Sep 2016	30	114	3.8	35	1.17
Sep 2015	30	124	4.1	46	1.53
Sep 2014	30	132	4.4	51	1.70

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 87% · Writing 45% · Maths 94% → all three 45% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard45%90th of 97 in Wigan

Wigan 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard87%

Wigan 77% England 78%

Higher standard52%

Wigan 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard45%

Wigan 76% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Wigan 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard94%

Wigan 80% England 77%

Higher standard45%

Wigan 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Wigan median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	45%	0%	108	109
2023/24	74%	10%	108	107
2022/23	70%	10%	107	107

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School LeighThis school
This school

2026

2.5applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh
0.6 km · Wigan

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington
0.7 km · Wigan

Standards maintained2025

1.8applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Leigh CofE Primary School
0.8 km · Wigan

Good2023

1.5applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Leigh St Mary's CofE Primary School
0.9 km · Wigan

Remains Good2024

3.1applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Leigh Central Primary School
1.0 km · Wigan

2026

2.5applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh
1.0 km · Wigan

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place 51%met the SATs standard
Bedford Hall Methodist Primary School
1.0 km · Wigan

Good2022

2.6applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Leigh St John's CofE Primary
1.3 km · Wigan

Standards maintained2025

4.2applications per place 67%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 106501 · 359/3400
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 204 on roll
Free school meals: 22.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Mather Lane, Leigh, WN7 2PW
Local authority: Wigan

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources