St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield
Ofsted
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 3 March 2026
Results
Compared with the local authority and England
KS4 Results
Attainment and progress
Attainment 8 scores a pupil's best 8 GCSE results, out of about 90. Progress 8 compares those results with pupils who started secondary school at the same level: 0 is average.
| Measure | School | Wigan | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 49.1 | 43.4 | 46.1 |
GCSE results
Grade 4 is a standard pass; grade 5 is a strong pass.
| Measure | School | Wigan | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 51% | 39% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 77% | 61% | 65% |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths | 68% | 55% | 60% |
English Baccalaureate
The EBacc is English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography. It is a set of subjects rather than a qualification.
| Measure | School | Wigan | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entering the EBacc | 29% | 30% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
Based on 238 pupils at the end of key stage 4.
Catchment area
Pupils and staff
Pupils
- Pupils
- 1,204
- Capacity
- 1,250
- Girls / boys
- 51% / 49%
- Free school meals
- 16%
Staff
- Teachers (FTE)
- 74.6
- Teaching assistants (FTE)
- 18.5
- Leadership (FTE)
- 5.4
- Part-time teachers
- 26%
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Parent View
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
Ofsted changed the Parent View questions in November 2025, so some questions differ between years.
87%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
83%
of parents have a positive overall view of the school
198 responses up to 6 April 2026 · 16% response rate
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Neither agree nor disagree
- Don’t know
- Disagree
- Strongly disagree
My child is happy at this school.
84% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
87% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
84% agreeMy child has been bullied, and the school dealt with it quickly and effectively.
53% agreeMy child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.
75% agree
Questions about St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield
What is St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted inspected St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield on 3 March 2026 using a report card, which grades each area separately and gives no overall grade. The school met Ofsted's safeguarding standards. It was graded Strong standard for achievement, for curriculum and teaching, for inclusion, for leadership and governance, for personal development and wellbeing and for attendance and behaviour.
How do I apply for a place at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield?
Apply through the council where you live by 31 October in your child's Year 6, for a place starting the following September. You apply to your home council even if St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. Offers are sent on 1 March, or the next working day. As a Roman Catholic school it may also ask for a supplementary form, and its admissions policy says whether it does.
Does living near St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield guarantee a place?
No. Distance only counts when St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by its governing body, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. As a Roman Catholic school, it can give priority to children on grounds of faith. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
How many pupils are at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield?
St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield had 1,204 pupils aged 11 to 16 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 1,250. It is a mixed school with no sixth form, so students move on at 16.
