St John's Church of England Primary School, Abram

About St John's Church of England Primary School, Abram

St John's Church of England Primary School, Abram, sits slightly below the Wigan local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 63% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the LA average of 65%. That places it 56th out of 99 primary schools in the borough, squarely in the middle of the pack. Where the school does stand out is in its individual subject scores: 73% of pupils met the expected standard in both reading and maths, and 75% did so in writing, which is a solid showing. The average scaled scores are 105 for reading and 103 for maths, both above the national benchmark of 100. The school is oversubscribed — 54 applications for 32 places in 2025/26 — and 30 of those were first-preference choices, suggesting it holds a strong local reputation despite not topping the league tables.

The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2017, awarded it an overall rating of Good, with leadership and management and early years provision both judged Good. An ungraded inspection in March 2023 confirmed the school remains Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, when it was rated Requires Improvement. At Key Stage 2, 13% of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths, and 20% did so in both reading and writing, which is respectable but not exceptional. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, and there is no nursery provision on site. The headteacher is Rachael Bear, and the school has a Church of England religious character, which may appeal to families seeking a faith-based setting.

Facilities include a chapel, music rooms, an ICT suite, a sports hall, playing fields and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer range from rounders and netball to swimming, gymnastics and cross country, and there are clubs for film, coding and chess. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. With 22.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a moderately disadvantaged catchment. It is oversubscribed, so families applying should be prepared to list it as a first preference. For those who miss out, the nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Nicol Mere School, 3.8 km away.

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