Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School

About Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School

Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary in Wigan, currently home to 148 pupils against a capacity of 175, meaning there is some room to grow. The school serves a community with a notably high level of disadvantage: 37.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Demand is strong, however. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 35 applications for just 21 places, with 19 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.67. That suggests local families are actively choosing St Anne's despite the demographic challenges. The school is mixed-sex and non-selective, taking children from age 4 to 11, and is led by headteacher Philip Ivory. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, rated it Good across the board — in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

Academically, the school's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 paint a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 59%, which is below the Wigan local authority average of 65%. In individual subjects, 86% met the expected standard in maths, 73% in reading and 73% in writing. At the higher standard, 18% achieved it in reading, 14% in writing, and none in maths. Average scaled scores were 103 in both reading and maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom half for its combined expected standard, sitting at the 59th percentile. In Wigan, it ranks 65th out of 98 primary schools. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds, but the raw outcomes suggest that while most children reach the expected level in maths, the combined measure is held back by reading and writing.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for its size, including a library, music rooms, art studios, a forest school and a chapel. Sports provision covers tennis, football, cricket, swimming, gymnastics, athletics and cross country, and there are clubs for gardening, drama and eco activities. SEND support is listed for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent feedback is very positive: 88% of respondents would recommend the school, and in the Parent View survey, 97% strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy, and 100% felt their child is safe. The school is oversubscribed, so families should apply early. It will suit those who value a small, community-focused Church of England primary with strong pastoral care and a clear sense of belonging, even if academic outcomes are not the highest in the borough.

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