St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College

About St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College

St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College is a Roman Catholic state sixth form in Wigan, serving 424 students across the 16-19 age range. As a post-16 only institution, it does not have a published capacity figure in the same way as an 11-16 school, but its pupil count suggests a reasonably sized sixth form within the local authority context. The school operates under the Wigan local authority, where only one out of 22 secondary-type schools holds an Outstanding rating, placing St John Rigby in a competitive landscape. While the data does not include a Free School Meals percentage for the college itself, the local authority average Progress 8 score for similar schools is -0.3, indicating that Wigan’s secondary sector faces some challenges relative to national benchmarks. The college’s religious character as Roman Catholic may influence its intake, attracting families seeking a faith-based post-16 environment. Admission information is not detailed in the data, so it is unclear whether the college is oversubscribed, but its status as a specialist sixth form centre suggests it draws students from across the borough and potentially beyond.

Academically, St John Rigby’s most recent A-level results from the 2023/24 academic year show a points per entry score of 31.89, equating to a C+ grade on average. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects stands at 8.9%, which is modest compared to national selective benchmarks. The college’s value-added score is -0.12, with a confidence interval ranging from -0.19 to -0.06, placing it in the ‘Below average’ progress banding. This means that, on average, students achieve slightly lower A-level grades than would be expected given their prior attainment at GCSE. The best three A-levels average grade is also C+, with a points score of 33.94. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score for secondary schools is -0.3, so St John Rigby’s value-added is marginally better than the LA norm, though still negative. The college does not publish maths or English progress data separately, as these are typically measured at KS4 rather than KS5.

The college offers a broad range of facilities including a library, swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, gymnasium, science labs, music rooms, a dedicated sixth form centre, and a chapel, reflecting its Catholic identity. Sports provision is extensive, with football, rugby, cricket, netball, athletics, tennis, swimming, martial arts, and rounders available. Extracurricular clubs include book club, gardening, choir, drama, and orchestra, providing opportunities beyond the classroom. The college does not have published SEND data in this dataset, so its specific support for students with special educational needs is unclear. St John Rigby is likely to suit families in Wigan and surrounding areas who want a faith-based sixth form with a strong facilities offer and a wide range of sports and clubs. However, the below-average progress score means parents should consider whether the college’s academic support matches their child’s needs, particularly for those aiming for highly selective university courses.

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