The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College
99%
Capacity
1,372
Pupils
3.0x
Demand
About The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College
The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College is a popular choice among Wigan families, with 301 first-preference applications for just 232 offers made in the 2025/26 admissions round. The school received 729 total applications for 243 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3:1, which signals strong local demand. While there is no parent view survey data available to confirm satisfaction rates directly, the high number of first-choice applications suggests the school holds a solid reputation in the community. The school is a Church of England state secondary for mixed pupils aged 11 to 18, with a capacity of 1,389 and currently 1,372 pupils on roll. Headteacher Martin Wood leads a school where 29.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, above the national average, reflecting a diverse intake.
Academically, the school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2016 rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management and Good for sixth-form provision. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. However, the Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is -0.31, which is below average nationally and places the school 13th out of 19 schools in Wigan on this measure. This is very close to the local authority average of -0.3, so the school is performing in line with other Wigan secondaries. Attainment 8 sits at 44, and 60.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the average points per entry is 25.75, equivalent to a C- grade, and the value-added score is -0.23, also below average. Only 7.7% of students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, music rooms, a chapel, a sixth-form centre, and extensive outdoor sports provision with football, cricket, athletics, rowing, and netball. There are also numerous clubs such as Young Enterprise, Model UN, debate, and eco club. The school supports pupils with a variety of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With an oversubscription ratio of 3:1, families should be prepared to apply as a first preference to secure a place. The Deanery will suit families who value a Church of England ethos, a large school community, and a wide extracurricular offer, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that are broadly in line with the local average rather than significantly above it.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Frog Lane, Wigan, Wigan, WN1 1HQ |
| Headteacher | Martin Wood |
| Local Authority | Wigan |
| Number of Pupils | 1,372 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,372 / 1,389 (99% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 May 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 May 2022): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 2 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.31)
2270th of 3,141
Nationally
284th of 445
In North West
13th of 19
In Wigan
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
32.2
'22/23
25.1
'23/24
25.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2330%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 249 pupils).
- Sixth form college33%
- School sixth form (stay)30%
- FE college23%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment5%
- Apprenticeship4%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2338%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 71 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
6%
Russell Group
11%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)38%
- Employment32%
- Apprenticeship13%
- Not sustained13%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology17
- Mathematics15
- Design and Technology (Engineering)14
- English Language12
- Biology9
- History9
- Sociology9
- Chemistry7
- Art and Design5
- Computer Studies / Computing5
- Media/Film/Tv Studies5
- Geography4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed243
729
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
301 families put this school as their 1st choice (41% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:40 – 15:05
Source: deanery.wigan.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British83.2%
- Mixed4.7%
- Asian3.5%
- White (other)2.3%
- Black1.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
12
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College
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
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Frog Lane, Wigan
Wigan, WN1 1HQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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