Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy

About Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy

Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy is a larger-than-average primary, currently educating 586 pupils against a stated capacity of 500. That overspill is a direct reflection of its popularity: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 140 applications for just 76 places, with 70 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 1.84, meaning nearly two families compete for every spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 12 per cent, which is below the national average and suggests a relatively affluent local catchment. As a Church of England school under the leadership of headteacher Stuart Colothan, it draws families from across the Standish area in Wigan, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three. The school's religious character is woven into its facilities, which include a chapel, and the demand signals are clear: this is a school that local parents are actively prioritising.

Academically, the school is a standout performer. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 92 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the Wigan local authority average of 65 per cent. This performance places the school 4th out of 98 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the top five per cent locally, and 227th nationally out of 13,686 schools. The proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was 39 per cent, with particularly strong results in maths, where 68 per cent achieved the higher mark and the average scaled score was 112. Reading and writing also performed strongly, with 64 per cent and 42 per cent reaching the higher standard respectively. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2022, awarded Outstanding across every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management, a clean sweep that it also achieved in its previous inspection in 2007.

The school offers a broad set of facilities including a sensory room, library, gymnasium, and outdoor playground, and runs clubs covering coding, drama, film and eco activities. Sports provision includes cricket, netball, athletics, gymnastics and rounders. Its SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering alternatives, the nearest other Outstanding-rated primary is St Marie's Catholic Primary School Standish, 0.7 kilometres away. Given the high demand and strong academic outcomes, this is a school best suited to families who can secure a place through the church or catchment criteria, and who value a well-resourced, high-performing environment with a clear Christian foundation and strong pastoral support systems.

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