Schools in Wigan

117 schools with published admissions figures

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in Wigan

Primary

Offered their first choice 88.7%
Of families applying for a primary place for September 2026. Against 89.6% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 97.3%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 3,541
Applications received for a primary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 88.7% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 97.3% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is much the same as in 2016, when it was 89.6%.

The council's primary schools between them had 3,894 places for 3,541 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

Offered their first choice 91.1%
Of families applying for a secondary place for September 2026. Against 95.2% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 97.6%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 3,718
Applications received for a secondary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 91.1% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 97.6% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is 4.1 points lower than in 2016, when it was 95.2%.

The council's secondary schools between them had 4,061 places for 3,718 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in Wigan lodged 416 appeals about a school place.

295 of them were heard by a panel and 56 succeeded, which is about 19 in every 100 heard.

The other 121 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Secondary

School	1st prefs per place	Demand since	Latest Ofsted
Atherton High School Atherton	0.99	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Bedford High School Leigh	0.89	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Cansfield High School Wigan	0.78	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Dean Trust Rose Bridge Wigan	0.65	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Dean Trust Wigan Wigan	0.79	-	Requires improvement Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Fred Longworth High School Manchester	1.10	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
Golborne High School Warrington	1.18	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Hawkley Hall High School Wigan	0.93	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Lowton Church of England High School Warrington	0.89	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Outwood Academy Hindley Wigan	0.98	-	Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Shevington High School Wigan	1.08	-	Strong standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield Wigan	1.11	-	Strong standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
St John Fisher Catholic High School Wigan	1.04	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
St Mary's Catholic High School Manchester	1.02	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Peter's Catholic High School Wigan	1.20	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Standish Community High School Wigan	0.90	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
The Byrchall High School Wigan	1.26	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College Wigan	1.12	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
The Westleigh School Leigh	0.82	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)

Elsewhere

Most sought-after schools in Wigan by first preferences per place
Schools in M28 (16)
Schools in M29 (7)
Schools in M46 (10)
Schools in WA3 (22)
Schools in WN1 (7)
Schools in WN2 (20)
Schools in WN3 (10)
Schools in WN4 (11)
Schools in WN5 (15)
Schools in WN6 (16)
Schools in WN7 (18)
What data we hold