Fred Longworth High School
101%
Capacity
1,288
Pupils
2.2x
Demand
About Fred Longworth High School
Fred Longworth High School is a mixed secondary in Wigan that currently teaches 1,288 pupils, slightly above its official capacity of 1,275. The school serves a community with a higher-than-average proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 22.6% eligible for free school meals, compared to the national secondary average of around 24%. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 539 total applications for 245 places, with 319 of those as first preferences. That works out at 2.2 applications per place, and all 245 offers went to first-preference families, indicating the school is a popular local choice. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. Its religious character is listed as 'does not apply', and the headteacher is Paul Davies.
Academically, Fred Longworth's Progress 8 score of -0.29 is classed as 'Below average' nationally, placing it 12th out of 19 schools in Wigan and in the bottom 50% of schools across England. That said, the local authority average Progress 8 is -0.3, so the school is almost exactly in line with other Wigan secondaries. Attainment 8 sits at 45.5, and 45.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 4.1, with 49.6% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, the school was rated Good overall, with Good for leadership and management. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school 'remains Good'. Previously, in 2010, it was rated Outstanding.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, sports hall, gymnasium, astro turf, and an ICT suite. Sports on offer include football, netball, hockey, cricket, rowing, and dance, while clubs range from Film Club and Drama to Coding, Book Club, and Young Enterprise. SEND provision is extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. With no sixth form and a strong local reputation, Fred Longworth suits families looking for a well-subscribed, inclusive secondary that performs in line with the Wigan average and offers solid extracurricular breadth.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Printshop Lane, Manchester, Wigan, M29 8JN |
| Headteacher | Paul Davies |
| Local Authority | Wigan |
| Number of Pupils | 1,288 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 22.6% |
| School Capacity | 1,288 / 1,275 (101% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 Oct 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 11 Dec 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.29)
2206th of 3,141
Nationally
273rd of 445
In North West
12th of 19
In Wigan
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 258 pupils).
- FE college51%
- Sixth form college23%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained8%
- Employment6%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
92% 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed245
539
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
319 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.5%
- Mixed2.8%
- White (other)2.6%
- Asian1.8%
- Black0.4%
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.
75% 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.
10
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Fred Longworth High School
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
Printshop Lane, Manchester
Wigan, M29 8JN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Fred Longworth High School!
Write a Review