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.

Academically, St Mary’s sits in the middle of the pack locally. Its Progress 8 score of -0.2 places it 10th out of 19 schools in Wigan, which is slightly above the LA average of -0.3 but still below the national average. The Attainment 8 score is 46.4, and 66.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though that drops to 45.5% at grade 5 or above. EBacc entry is relatively low at 24.2%, with only 16.4% achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. At A-level, the picture is mixed: the school’s value-added score is -0.2, rated as ‘Below average’, with an average point score per entry of 33.64 (a C+ grade). The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade. Ofsted’s most recent graded inspection in 2019 rated the school Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and sixth-form provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in October 2024 confirmed that standards are being maintained.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. There’s a broad range of clubs — from orchestra and choir to Model UN, Young Enterprise, and gardening — plus sports like rugby, gymnastics, and swimming. SEND provision covers nine categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 155 families show strong satisfaction: 81% would recommend the school, and 80% agree or strongly agree their child is happy. However, only 58% agree that SEND children get the support they need, and 55% feel concerns are dealt with properly — areas where the school may need to focus. This is a popular, oversubscribed Catholic secondary that suits families prioritising a faith-based environment with solid facilities and a wide extracurricular offer, but where academic outcomes are broadly in line with local averages rather than standout.

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