Voluntary aided school · Wigan

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield

11–16Ages
1,204Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
106540URN

Rookery Avenue, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 9PF · 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

1.9per place

close to Wigan median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Wigan

453 applications for 233 places · 13th of 19 in Wigan

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

50.4of 90

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

2nd of 19 in Wigan

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 3 March 2026Published 5 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour		Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong 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

3 March 2026
Report card · 6 Strong standard
17 November 2021
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

1.9applications per place, Year 7

close to Wigan median (2.1) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

453 applications · 233 places offered · 258 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

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

More applications per place than the Wigan median in 0 of 13 years.

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	233	453	1.9	258	1.11
Sep 2025	227	387	1.7	223	0.98
Sep 2024	236	404	1.7	222	0.94
Sep 2023	231	401	1.7	229	0.99
Sep 2022	233	408	1.8	228	0.98
Sep 2021	235	439	1.9	246	1.05
Sep 2020	234	446	1.9	259	1.11
Sep 2019	234	474	2.0	273	1.17
Sep 2018	234	394	1.7	230	0.98
Sep 2017	236	438	1.9	267	1.13
Sep 2016	237	445	1.9	265	1.12
Sep 2015	238	496	2.1	277	1.16
Sep 2014	236	493	2.1	277	1.17

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

237 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)50.42nd of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths54%2nd of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths76%

Wigan 65% England 66%

This school
Wigan median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.16

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	237	50.4	54%	76%	–
2024/25	238	49.1	51%	77%	–
2023/24	239	51.5	57%	75%	+0.16
2022/23	230	49.7	50%	74%	+0.13

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

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-MakerfieldThis school
This school

2026

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

Good2022

2.9applications per place 42.8Attainment 8
Cansfield High School
1.3 km · Wigan

Good2024

2.2applications per place 41.7Attainment 8
Hope Academy
2.5 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 43.9Attainment 8
Outwood Academy Haydock
3.1 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 42.9Attainment 8
Golborne High School
3.5 km · Wigan

Outstanding2023

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Hawkley Hall High School
4.5 km · Wigan

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 41.9Attainment 8
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
5.1 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.3applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy
5.9 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2022

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 106540 · 359/4805
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 1,250 pupils · 1,204 on roll
Free school meals: 15.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Rookery Avenue, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 9PF
Local authority: Wigan

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