Find the best primary schools in Wigan. Compare Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and parent reviews.
Wigan has 98 primary schools, all in Wigan council's area. Most state schools here offer places by distance from home once children in care and siblings of current pupils have been admitted, so how close you live decides your chances at any school with more applicants than places. Some councils draw a fixed catchment boundary instead, and the distance at which the last place went changes every year. Of the 98, 68 are faith schools that can put children of their faith first, so distance counts for less there.
Use the distance checker to measure your home's straight-line distance to any Wigan primary school, and each school's page for its Ofsted report, results and admissions details. Check your distance to a school or try the admissions calculator.
| School | Type | Our rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nicol Mere School | Mixed | 4.9 / 5 |
| St Marie's Catholic Primary School Standish | Roman Catholic | 4.8 / 5 |
| Our Lady's RC Primary School Wigan | Roman Catholic | 4.8 / 5 |
| Holy Family RC Primary School, New Springs, Wigan | Roman Catholic | 4.7 / 5 |
| Orrell Newfold Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Hindley Green Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy | Church of England | 4.7 / 5 |
| St Luke's CofE Primary School |
There are 98 primary schools in Wigan.
Apply by 15 January for a Reception place starting that September. Children start Reception in the September after their fourth birthday. You apply to the council where you live, even if the school is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. Offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day.
Of the 98 primary schools in Wigan, 68 have a religious character: 38 Church of England, 27 Roman Catholic, 2 Methodist and 1 Church of England/Methodist. When a faith school has more applicants than places, it can give priority to children of its faith. Many ask for a supplementary form, sometimes signed by a religious leader, so read the school's admissions policy before you apply.
On our star rating, the highest rated are Nicol Mere School (4.9), St Marie's Catholic Primary School Standish (4.8), Our Lady's RC Primary School Wigan (4.8), Holy Family RC Primary School, New Springs, Wigan (4.7) and Orrell Newfold Community Primary School (4.7). The rating is our own, out of 5. It combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and SATs results, with the parent survey carrying the most weight. Of the 98 schools here, 97 have enough published data for a rating.
Only when you qualify for more than one school. Each school ranks applicants against its own admission criteria without knowing where you placed it. If you qualify for several, the council offers the one you ranked highest, so putting a popular school first does not lower your chances at your second choice.
| Church of England |
| 4.7 / 5 |
| Gilded Hollins Community School | Mixed | 4.6 / 5 |
| Woodfield Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| Orrell Holgate Academy | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| St David Haigh and Aspull CofE Primary School | Church of England | 4.5 / 5 |
| Wood Fold Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan | Roman Catholic | 4.4 / 5 |
| Marus Bridge Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Tyldesley Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Hindsford CofE Primary School | Church of England | 4.3 / 5 |
| St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Hindley | Roman Catholic | 4.3 / 5 |
| Meadowbank Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| St Mary and St John Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.2 / 5 |
| R L Hughes Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.2 / 5 |
| Golborne Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell | Roman Catholic | 4.2 / 5 |
| Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 4.2 / 5 |
| Garrett Hall Primary School | Mixed | 4.1 / 5 |
| Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy | Mixed | 4.1 / 5 |
| St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.1 / 5 |
| Castle Hill St Philip's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 4.1 / 5 |
| Holy Family Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.1 / 5 |
| Lowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School | Church of England | 4.1 / 5 |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hindley Green | Roman Catholic | 4.1 / 5 |
| St Patrick's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.1 / 5 |
| Winstanley Community Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| St John's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Jude's Catholic Primary School Wigan | Roman Catholic | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Stephen's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| All Saints Catholic Primary School, Golborne, Wigan | Roman Catholic | 3.9 / 5 |
| Aspull Church Primary School | Church of England/Methodist | 3.9 / 5 |
| Platt Bridge Community School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Hindley | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| Leigh CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Philip's CofE Primary School, Atherton | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Thomas CofE Junior and Infant School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Leigh St John's CofE Primary | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Twelve Apostles Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Paul's Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Mab's Cross Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Tyldesley St George's Central CofE Primary School and Nursery | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Atherton St George's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Bryn St Peter's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Hindley All Saints CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Beech Hill Community Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.7 / 5 |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.7 / 5 |
| Holy Family Catholic Academy | Roman Catholic | 3.7 / 5 |
| St Thomas CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.7 / 5 |
| St Mary's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| St John's Church of England Primary School, Hindley Green | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| St John's CofE Primary School Mosley Common | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton | Roman Catholic | 3.5 / 5 |
| Lowton Junior and Infant School | Mixed | 3.4 / 5 |
| Bedford Hall Methodist Primary School | Methodist | 3.4 / 5 |
| St John's Church of England Primary School, Abram | Church of England | 3.4 / 5 |
| Newton Westpark Primary School | Mixed | 3.4 / 5 |
| St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.4 / 5 |
| St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School Wigan | Roman Catholic | 3.4 / 5 |
| St Catharine's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.3 / 5 |
| St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh | Church of England | 3.3 / 5 |
| Leigh St Peter's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.3 / 5 |
| Marsh Green Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Britannia Bridge Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Leigh Central Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| Millbrook Primary School | Mixed | 3.2 / 5 |
| St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh | Roman Catholic | 3.1 / 5 |
| Leigh St Mary's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Ince CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Shevington Vale Primary School | Mixed | 3.1 / 5 |
| St Mark's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Sacred Heart RC Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.1 / 5 |
| Canon Sharples Church of England Primary School and Nursery | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| Wigan St Andrew's CofE Junior and Infant School | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Chowbent Primary School | Mixed | 3.0 / 5 |
| Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| Lowton West Primary School | Mixed | 2.8 / 5 |
| Westleigh St Paul's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 2.8 / 5 |
| St James' Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 2.7 / 5 |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh | Roman Catholic | 2.7 / 5 |
| St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton | Roman Catholic | 2.7 / 5 |
| Leigh Westleigh Methodist Primary School | Methodist | 2.3 / 5 |
| St William's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 2.3 / 5 |
| Bickershaw CofE Primary School | Church of England | 2.2 / 5 |
| Westfield Community School | Mixed | 1.9 / 5 |
| St Oswald's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 1.8 / 5 |
| Parklee Primary School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
Our rating is out of 5 and combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and published results. Source: Department for Education (GIAS) and Ofsted.
No. Distance only matters when a school has more applicants than places, and then it offers places in the order its admission criteria set out. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or catchment area. Faith schools and grammar schools use different criteria. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
The council offers a place at another school with room, which may be further from home. You can accept it and still join the waiting lists for the schools you preferred. Waiting lists are ranked by the admission criteria, not by how long a child has been on them. You can also appeal to an independent panel for any school that refused you. Appeals for Reception to Year 2 rarely succeed, because infant classes are limited to 30 pupils by law and a panel can only admit above that limit in narrow circumstances.