St Mary's Catholic High School
About St Mary's Catholic High School
St Mary’s Catholic High School is a large secondary in Wigan, running at near-full capacity with 1,561 pupils against a school capacity of 1,569. That’s a tight fit, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 564 applications for 258 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.19. Of those, 252 families put it as their first preference, and 240 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 19.5%, which is worth noting in a local context where the LA average Progress 8 score is -0.3 — a sign that the school draws from a community with above-average disadvantage compared with national figures. As a Roman Catholic secondary, its intake will naturally reflect families seeking a faith-based education, but the oversubscription suggests its appeal stretches beyond that. The school is mixed, covers ages 11 to 18, and has a dedicated sixth form, so it’s a full through-school option for families who want a single setting from Year 7 to sixth form.
Key Details
The full report on this school
What 155 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 Oct 2024Latest monitoring visit (9 Oct 2024): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 14:50
Source: stmaryschs.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications