Community school · Wigan

Cansfield High School

11–16Ages
974Pupils
SecondaryPhase
106521URN

Old Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 9TP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

close to Wigan median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Wigan

381 applications for 172 places · 8th of 19 in Wigan

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

41.7of 90

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

17th of 19 in Wigan

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 12 June 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		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

2.2applications per place, Year 7

close to Wigan median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

381 applications · 172 places offered · 135 named it first

2026 2.2; Wigan median median 2.1
2025 2.7; Wigan median median 2.2
2024 2.2; Wigan median median 2.2
2023 2.0; Wigan median median 2.1
2022 2.0; Wigan median median 2.0
2021 1.8; Wigan median median 2.0
2020 1.9; Wigan median median 1.9
2019 1.9; Wigan median median 2.0
2018 1.7; Wigan median median 2.0
2017 1.9; Wigan median median 2.0
2016 2.2; Wigan median median 2.1
2015 2.2; Wigan median median 2.1
2014 2.2; Wigan median median 2.2

This school
Wigan median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	172	381	2.2	135	0.78
Sep 2025	143	382	2.7	122	0.85
Sep 2024	184	407	2.2	172	0.93
Sep 2023	198	400	2.0	209	1.06
Sep 2022	211	423	2.0	246	1.17
Sep 2021	217	392	1.8	213	0.98
Sep 2020	215	409	1.9	216	1.00
Sep 2019	202	377	1.9	203	1.00
Sep 2018	194	337	1.7	190	0.98
Sep 2017	202	382	1.9	200	0.99
Sep 2016	198	430	2.2	204	1.03
Sep 2015	199	435	2.2	217	1.09
Sep 2014	182	404	2.2	168	0.92

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

204 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)41.717th of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths36%16th of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%

Wigan 65% England 66%

This school
Wigan median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.55

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	204	41.7	36%	59%	–
2024/25	215	44.4	41%	64%	–
2023/24	195	41.5	32%	55%	−0.55
2022/23	184	47.2	39%	64%	−0.28

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

Cansfield High SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.2applications per place 41.7Attainment 8
St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield
1.3 km · Wigan

2026

1.9applications per place 50.4Attainment 8
The Byrchall High School
1.4 km · Wigan

Good2022

2.9applications per place 42.8Attainment 8
Hawkley Hall High School
3.4 km · Wigan

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 41.9Attainment 8
Outwood Academy Haydock
3.8 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 42.9Attainment 8
Hope Academy
3.8 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 43.9Attainment 8
Golborne High School
4.1 km · Wigan

Outstanding2023

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
5.6 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.3applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Dean Trust Wigan
6.0 km · Wigan

2026

1.2applications per place 37.5Attainment 8

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: Community school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 106521 · 359/4015
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,012 pupils · 974 on roll
Free school meals: 28.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: Old Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 9TP
Local authority: Wigan

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources