Foundation school · Wigan

Lowton Church of England High School

11–16Ages
814Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
137783URN

Newton Road, Lowton, Warrington, WA3 1DU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.5 above Wigan median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Wigan

376 applications for 146 places · 5th of 19 in Wigan

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

49.2of 90

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

4th of 19 in Wigan

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 21 March 2023Ofsted'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

2.6applications per place, Year 7

0.5 above Wigan median (2.1) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

376 applications · 146 places offered · 130 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Wigan median median 2.1
2025 2.3; Wigan median median 2.2
2024 2.4; Wigan median median 2.2
2023 2.5; Wigan median median 2.1
2022 2.2; Wigan median median 2.0
2021 2.0; Wigan median median 2.0
2020 2.5; Wigan median median 1.9
2019 2.4; Wigan median median 2.0
2018 2.8; Wigan median median 2.0
2017 2.4; Wigan median median 2.0
2016 3.4; Wigan median median 2.1
2015 2.3; Wigan median median 2.1
2014 3.6; Wigan median median 2.2

More applications per place than the Wigan median in 12 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	146	376	2.6	130	0.89
Sep 2025	145	338	2.3	117	0.81
Sep 2024	166	399	2.4	156	0.94
Sep 2023	127	320	2.5	112	0.88
Sep 2022	161	348	2.2	112	0.70
Sep 2021	167	337	2.0	145	0.87
Sep 2020	144	353	2.5	131	0.91
Sep 2019	159	376	2.4	147	0.92
Sep 2018	131	366	2.8	126	0.96
Sep 2017	140	330	2.4	139	0.99
Sep 2016	109	371	3.4	105	0.96
Sep 2015	136	313	2.3	94	0.69
Sep 2014	98	349	3.6	84	0.86

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

159 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)49.24th of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45.5 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths40%13th of 19 in Wigan

Wigan 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths65%

Wigan 65% England 66%

This school
Wigan median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.17

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	159	49.2	40%	65%	–
2024/25	153	47.5	39%	63%	–
2023/24	160	44.9	37%	56%	−0.17
2022/23	138	47.0	34%	68%	−0.10

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

Lowton Church of England High SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.6applications per place 49.2Attainment 8
Golborne High School
2.8 km · Wigan

Outstanding2023

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Culcheth High School
3.3 km · Warrington

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 45.1Attainment 8
Bedford High School
4.2 km · Wigan

Good2023

2.8applications per place 49.2Attainment 8
The Westleigh School
4.5 km · Wigan

Good2022

1.6applications per place 45.0Attainment 8
Hope Academy
5.5 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 43.9Attainment 8
St Mary's Catholic High School
5.8 km · Wigan

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 47.1Attainment 8
Atherton High School
6.2 km · Wigan

Good2024

2.3applications per place 46.2Attainment 8
Fred Longworth High School
6.2 km · Wigan

Remains Good2022

2.0applications per place 47.9Attainment 8

School details

Type: Foundation school
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 137783 · 359/4002
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 850 pupils · 814 on roll
Free school meals: 29.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 2012
Replaced: Lowton High School A Specialist Sports College (URN 106530)
Address: Newton Road, Lowton, Warrington, WA3 1DU
Local authority: Wigan

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