Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Wigan 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 144 schools across Wigan. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Wigan has 144 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 137 with a published Ofsted inspection, 27 (20%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 93% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Holy Family Catholic Primary School, New Springs, Wigan currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Wigan follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

144
Total schools
27
Outstanding (historic grade)
20%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
66%
Avg KS2 SATs
38
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Holy Family Catholic Primary School, New Springs, Wigan
Primary
 Outstanding 96 View school
2. Orrell Newfold Community Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 88 View school
3. Nicol Mere School
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
4. St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
5. Standish St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 87 View school
6. St Marie's Catholic Primary School Standish
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
7. Woodfield Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 85 View school
8. Golborne Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 85 View school
9. Our Lady's RC Primary School Wigan
Primary
 Outstanding 83 View school
10. Wood Fold Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 82 View school
11. Hindsford CofE Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 82 View school
12. Orrell Holgate Academy
Primary
 Good 80 View school
13. St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell
Primary
 Good 80 View school
14. Hindley Junior and Infant School
Primary
 Good 79 View school
15. Winstanley College
16 plus
 Good 79 View school
16. St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Hindley
Primary
 Good 78 View school
17. St Luke's CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
18. Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy
Primary
 Outstanding 75 View school
19. St John Rigby RC Sixth Form College
16 plus
 Outstanding 75 View school
20. Aspull Church Primary School
Primary
 Good 75 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Wigan

Best primary schools in WiganTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in WiganTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in WiganReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in WiganYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in BoltonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in St. HelensCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SalfordCompare neighbouring authority

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Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Wigan?
There are 144 open primary & secondary schools in Wigan (closed schools are excluded). 27 of the 137 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in Wigan?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Wigan is Holy Family Catholic Primary School, New Springs, Wigan. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Wigan?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Wigan?
Primary and secondary applications in Wigan are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Wigan council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.