Cansfield High School Review 2026: Community secondary with strong pastoral systems and improving curriculum coherence

A school that talks a lot about belonging, and backs it with practical structures. The site is designed for scale, with specialist rooms that support a full secondary curriculum, alongside sports spaces built in partnership with the neighbouring leisure centre. Facilities include eight science laboratories, six computer suites, a purpose built music studio, a large drama and dance studio, and a lecture theatre, plus a 3G pitch and multi use games area.

Leadership has been in a new phase since June 2023, when Mrs Nici Daniels took up the headship after serving as deputy head. The school is a state secondary for ages 11 to 16, so there are no tuition fees; families should instead plan for the typical costs that come with any secondary school, such as uniform, equipment, trips, and optional clubs.

The June 2024 Ofsted inspection judged the school to be Good across all graded areas.

The school’s public-facing message is clear: students should feel known, supported, and expected to do well. In practice, that comes through in the way pastoral work is described and organised. The school sets out a pastoral model with non-teaching heads of year and pastoral workers, plus attendance roles, which signals an intention to keep behaviour, attendance, and family support as day-to-day priorities rather than add-ons.

There is also a strong emphasis on responsibility and student voice. The inspection notes student “pal” leadership roles that help younger pupils settle, and a student parliament structure where pupils take on responsibility and advocate for improvements. That combination often suits families who want a mainstream school with clear routines, visible adult support, and structured opportunities to build confidence over time.

A distinctive feature is the specially resourced provision for a small cohort of pupils with special educational needs, focused on autism. The inspection records that the provision caters for nine pupils with autism, and that staff identify needs and adapt learning with appropriate strategies in most cases. For local families, this can be an important differentiator, because it suggests that inclusion is not only about classroom differentiation, but also about having a designated setting for pupils who need it.

The school is also in a period of physical change. It describes a rolling refurbishment programme across classrooms and the commissioning of a new admin block with additional classrooms to meet increased numbers. For parents, the implication is practical rather than cosmetic, a refreshed environment can help with behaviour, pride in presentation, and the daily feel of lessons, but building programmes can also mean short-term disruption at peak moments.

On FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,662nd in England and 6th in Wigan. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The attainment picture from the dataset is mixed. Attainment 8 is 41.5. Progress 8 is -0.55, which indicates that pupils, on average, made below-average progress from their starting points across eight qualifications. EBacc measures are an area to understand clearly: 11.3% achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc, and the average EBacc APS is 3.67, compared with an England average EBacc APS of 4.08.

What matters for parents is how those headline measures translate into a day-to-day approach. The inspection describes improvements in the design and delivery of the curriculum, with key knowledge identified and sequenced logically in most subjects, helping most pupils achieve well. That is an important contextual point for families reading Progress 8 figures, because it suggests the school has been tightening curriculum planning and consistency, which is often where progress measures can improve over time.

If you are comparing local options, use the FindMySchool local hub and comparison tools to view this school’s results alongside nearby secondaries in Wigan, and to check how the same measures vary across the area.

The curriculum offer is broad in Key Stage 3. The published prospectus lists English (including reading and drama), maths, science, geography, history, citizenship, religion and careers, life studies, French, PE, music, art, design technology, food, and computing. That breadth matters in an 11 to 16 school, because pupils do not have the timetable space that sixth forms can sometimes use for additional enrichment blocks.

The inspection’s “deep dives” included mathematics, science, English, art and design, geography, and modern foreign languages, which provides reassurance that core academic and creative areas were sampled in depth. The report’s nuance is also useful for families: subject knowledge is described as strong among most teachers, and gaps in knowledge are usually identified and addressed quickly. At the same time, the inspection notes that, on occasion, the choice of learning activities does not enable sufficient depth, which can limit outcomes for some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.

Reading is treated as a whole-school priority. The inspection describes secure processes for identifying gaps in reading and providing targeted support, alongside a wider culture that encourages reading for pleasure through “global citizen” lessons and pupil librarians who motivate younger pupils. For parents of pupils entering Year 7 with uneven literacy, this is one of the more practical indicators that the school is looking beyond subject teaching alone and building the foundations that drive performance across the curriculum.

Computing and design technology are framed in the school’s materials as skills for a digital future, including programming and online safety, plus CAD and CAM and use of a laser cutter in design technology. These details are useful because they show the school is not only offering the subjects on paper, but also signalling the tools and methods that pupils will encounter.

Because the school is 11 to 16, the main destinations conversation is about post-16 pathways. The inspection records a careers programme that includes responsibilities and structured exposure to education, employment and training organisations, including a careers fair, with pupils well informed about next steps. The prospectus adds further practical texture, referencing careers meetings with a careers adviser, careers fairs, guest speakers, alumni activities, National Apprenticeship Week, virtual work experience, and trips to universities and colleges, alongside work experience and mock interviews in Key Stage 4.

For families, the implication is that the school is designed to support a range of next steps, including colleges, sixth forms, apprenticeships, and vocational routes, rather than assuming that all pupils will move into the same type of post-16 setting. The most useful next step as a parent is to ask, early in Year 9 or Year 10, how the school supports subject choices and pathway planning, and how it works with local providers in Wigan and the wider Greater Manchester area.

Cansfield is a local authority admissions school with an admission number of 202 for Year 7 in the Wigan secondary admissions booklet for 2026 to 2027. For September 2026 entry, the same booklet sets out the closing date for applications as 31 October 2025, with offers made on 1 March 2026 (or the next working day if it falls on a weekend or bank holiday).

Open events can be a decisive factor for families comparing several local schools. The Wigan booklet lists the school’s open evening as Thursday 9 October 2025, 6:00pm to 8:00pm. In many areas these dates follow a similar annual rhythm, so families applying for later entry years should expect open events to cluster in early autumn and should check the school’s calendar for the current cycle.

In terms of demand, the Wigan booklet’s summary table shows 166 applications for 202 places, with all on-time applications offered a place in the referenced cycle. That suggests admissions pressure is not primarily driven by severe oversubscription at Year 7 entry, although local patterns can change, and sibling links, distance, and any local priority areas can still affect outcomes year to year.

The school’s admissions page also describes transition work that starts early, including Year 5 taster opportunities and multiple transition events for new starters, which is relevant for families with children who find change challenging.

Pastoral care is presented as a core operational function, not an occasional intervention. The prospectus describes a multi-role pastoral team, including non-teaching heads of year, pastoral workers, attendance roles, and an onsite counsellor supporting students with issues such as anxiety and bereavement, plus mental health first aid capacity and designated mental health leadership.

Day-to-day routines also matter. The inspection describes calm and purposeful corridors, with routines understood well by pupils and learning rarely disrupted, supported by appropriate help for pupils who struggle to manage behaviour. This often suits families looking for a mainstream setting that is structured and predictable, particularly for pupils who benefit from clear expectations.

The inspection also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The extracurricular programme is unusually well-specified, with a published timetable that includes before-school, lunchtime, and after-school options. Morning clubs run 8:00am to 8:25am on several days, and lunch clubs typically run 1:00pm to 1:45pm, which can be helpful for students who benefit from structured time at the start of the day or who want activities that do not require staying late.

The range is broad and includes clubs with a clear identity rather than generic labels. Examples include Coding Club, Girls Coding Club (Years 7 and 8), Debate Club, Film Club, Harry Potter Club, Lego Club, Choir, Cansfield Band, Table Tennis, Basketball Club, and a Wellbeing Club that appears daily at lunchtime. There are also academic drop-ins, including maths support and languages support in French and German on specified weeks, plus revision and required practical sessions for older year groups.

Sport is supported by facilities and by named activity links. The school describes first-class outdoor provision including a 3G pitch and a multi-use games area, plus a sports hall, gym, and playing fields. The extracurricular timetable includes fixtures and training for football, rugby and netball, and also a Wigan Warriors Rugby programme for Years 7 to 9, alongside activities such as badminton, dodgeball and volleyball.

Creative and performance opportunities are also visible. Facilities include a large drama and dance studio and a theatre used for productions and for large-group learning and revision sessions. The prospectus references an annual show in March and seasonal concerts, which gives students clear performance milestones to work towards, whether they are on stage, in a band, or supporting backstage and technical roles.

The school day starts with form time from 8:30am to 8:50am, followed by five lessons, with the day ending at 3:15pm. Clubs operate before school, at lunchtime, and after school on multiple days, which can help families align childcare and transport with student interests.

Term dates are published clearly, including INSET days and start dates for different year groups at the beginning of the year. For travel, Transport for Greater Manchester lists the Old Road stop as a short walk from the school and shows local bus services that can support school journeys. It also identifies Bryn as the nearest rail station, described as around a 12-minute walk.

• Progress measures. A Progress 8 score of -0.55 indicates below-average progress from pupils’ starting points. Families should ask how support is targeted for pupils who are behind in literacy or key subjects, and how interventions are monitored over time.

• Curriculum depth consistency. The inspection notes that, at times, learning activities do not enable enough depth, which can affect outcomes for some pupils. This is worth probing at open events, particularly in core subjects and in Key Stage 4 options.

• Culture and wider understanding. The inspection highlights limited opportunities for pupils to learn about and celebrate different cultures and faiths. If this matters strongly to your family, ask what has changed since June 2024 and how this is reflected in assemblies, curriculum content, and enrichment.

• A school in refurbishment mode. Ongoing refurbishment and new building plans can be positive long term, but can also bring short-term disruption. It is sensible to ask what work is planned next and how the school manages noise, access, and exam periods.

Cansfield High School presents as a grounded, community-focused 11 to 16 with a clear push on routines, relationships, and a better-sequenced curriculum. The strongest features are the breadth of facilities, the detailed extracurricular timetable, and the emphasis on structured pastoral support. Best suited to families who want a mainstream local authority secondary with a defined day structure, a wide spread of clubs, and an inclusion model that includes a small specialised provision alongside whole-school support. The main decision point is whether the academic trajectory and progress measures match your child’s needs, and how confident you are in the school’s capacity to keep improving depth and consistency in classroom practice.