Dean Trust Wigan
75%
Capacity
770
Pupils
1.0x
Demand
About Dean Trust Wigan
Just over half of families who applied for a Year 7 place at Dean Trust Wigan for the 2025/26 academic year got their first preference, with 63 offers made from 63 first-choice applications. The school was oversubscribed overall, receiving 139 applications for 134 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.04. That suggests a modest but real level of local demand, though it is worth noting that the school has capacity for 1,025 pupils and currently has 770 on roll, so there is room to grow. The most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in October 2023, rated the school as Requires Improvement across all five categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This was an upgrade from its previous inspection in 2020, when it was rated Inadequate overall, with behaviour and attitudes and personal development both marked as Inadequate at that time.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -1.12, which is well below average nationally and places it 19th out of 19 secondary schools in Wigan local authority. The local authority average Progress 8 score is -0.3, so Dean Trust Wigan is significantly behind its peers. The Attainment 8 score sits at 31.4, and just 19.2 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. The EBacc average point score is 2.98, and only 2.6 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved a grade 5 or above. The school’s Progress 8 banding is described as well below average, and it ranks in the bottom 50 nationally. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is high at 56 per cent, which is a significant contextual factor when interpreting these results.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, and science labs, plus clubs such as Young Enterprise, debate, and chess. It has a broad set of SEND provisions covering dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. There is no sixth form, so pupils will need to move on at 16. Given the academic outcomes and the Requires Improvement rating, this school is likely to suit families who are looking for a local option with improving inspection grades and who value the breadth of extracurricular activities on offer. The high proportion of pupils on free school meals and the range of SEND support suggest a school that serves a diverse and challenging community.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Orrell, Wigan, Wigan, WN5 0DQ |
| Headteacher | Jen Evans |
| Local Authority | Wigan |
| Number of Pupils | 770 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 56.0% |
| School Capacity | 770 / 1,025 (75% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
17 Oct 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-1.12)
3058th of 3,141
Nationally
427th of 445
In North West
19th of 19
In Wigan
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2346%
of GCSE leavers continue at FE college (cohort: 105 pupils).
- FE college46%
- Not sustained20%
- Sixth form college14%
- Employment13%
- Apprenticeship7%
80% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed134
139
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
63 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:10
Breakfast club
08:00-08:40
Source: deantrustwigan.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British81.3%
- White (other)4.4%
- Asian2.2%
- Mixed2.0%
- Black0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dean Trust Wigan
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Orrell, Wigan
Wigan, WN5 0DQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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