St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, Wigan Review 2026: Catholic primary with strong KS2 outcomes and a busy clubs calendar

This is a Catholic voluntary aided primary serving Ashton-in-Makerfield, with a long local lineage, the original St Oswald’s School on Liverpool Road opened in 1846, and the school’s buildings progressively moved to Council Avenue between 1965 and 1979.

Academic outcomes at the end of Year 6 are a clear strength. In the most recent published KS2 dataset, 78% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined (England average 62%), and 29.33% reached the higher standard (England average 8%). The school’s FindMySchool ranking places it 2921st in England for primary performance and 18th locally in Wigan, which sits comfortably within the top quarter nationally for this phase.

Pastoral systems are visible in everyday roles and routines, with student leadership opportunities (for example, reading ambassadors) and a wide spread of lunchtime and after-school clubs.

Catholic life is part of the school’s daily rhythm rather than a bolt-on. Expect prayer and worship to be treated seriously, and families applying should be comfortable supporting a faith-led ethos. The admissions policy makes that expectation explicit, while still confirming that non-Catholic families can apply and be considered under the published criteria.

The school also uses its own language to make behaviour expectations concrete. The “Ozzie’s Way Award” is referenced as an anchor for conduct and effort, and the wider tone in official commentary is of calm classrooms, clear rules about when to talk and when to listen, and quick resolution when minor friendship issues arise.

Heritage matters here, but in a practical, community sense. St Oswald’s has served Catholic families in the town since the mid-19th century, with the original school opening in 1846 and a later shift of buildings to the Council Avenue site across the late 1960s and 1970s. For many families, that continuity supports a strong sense of belonging across generations.

Leadership information varies by document date. The current headteacher listed on the government’s Get Information About Schools service is Mr Craig Goulding.

Results at Key Stage 2 are where St Oswald’s stands out most clearly.

In the latest published dataset, 78% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 29.33% reached the higher bar in reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 8%. Reading and maths outcomes are also strong individually, with 76% meeting the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths; science is particularly high at 94% meeting the expected standard. Grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) sits at 80% at the expected standard, with an average scaled score of 108.

For parents comparing local options, the school’s FindMySchool ranking places it 2921st in England for primary performance and 18th in Wigan, which equates to performance comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England for this phase. (These rankings are FindMySchool calculations based on official performance data.)

The implication for families is straightforward. Pupils who thrive on clear routines and consistent expectations are likely to do well here, and high prior attainers appear to be stretched rather than simply secured at the expected level.

The curriculum picture that emerges from official commentary is of ordered learning, regular checking for understanding, and deliberate recap to keep knowledge secure. That matters most in a primary setting because the gap between “did it once” and “can do it independently” is where many children either gain confidence or lose it.

Early reading is treated as a core priority. Phonics starts immediately in Reception, the approach is consistent, and pupils who find reading harder are supported with extra practice rather than being left to drift.

Maths is described as carefully structured, with teachers clear on when methods should be taught and pupils expected to use proper mathematical vocabulary to explain thinking. In practice, that usually suits children who like clarity, repetition with purpose, and incremental challenge.

SEND support is framed around access to the same ambitious curriculum, with adaptations and teaching assistant support used to keep pupils involved in class learning rather than pulled away as default.

As a primary, the key question is transition and confidence for Year 7. The school’s own enrichment calendar shows deliberate preparation for the move to secondary, including a Year 6 “Welcome to Y6” meeting, and links and visits connected to St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School (a named visit is included for Year 5 and Year 6).

For Catholic families, the practical implication is that St Oswald’s is already building familiarity with faith-based pathways and retreats as pupils approach the top of the school. For families considering a broader range of local secondaries, the strongest preparation will come from pupils leaving with secure literacy, maths confidence, and good learning habits, which are the foundations most secondary schools assume on day one.

Entry is competitive. In the most recent admissions dataset for Reception entry, there were 49 applications for 30 offers, which is roughly 1.63 applications per place. First preference demand also runs ahead of offers, reinforcing that this is not a walk-in option. (The last distance offered is not published for this year, so proximity comparisons are not reliable to quote.)

Admissions are coordinated through Wigan Council for Reception entry. For the September 2026 intake, Wigan’s published timetable sets:

• 30 September 2025 as the opening date to apply

• 15 January 2026 as the closing date

• 16 April 2026 as national allocation day, when offer emails and letters are sent

• 31 December 2026 as the waiting list closing date

Because this is a Catholic voluntary aided school, the governing body is the admissions authority and the faith criteria are detailed. The admissions policy sets a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 30 for Reception in September 2026. Where the school is oversubscribed, priority is weighted towards Catholic children (including parish links), then other Christian denominations and other faiths with evidence, and finally other applicants, with distance used as a tie break within categories.

A practical point that catches families out is paperwork. The admissions policy requests a Supplementary Information Form for applicants applying under the faith-related criteria, and it must be returned to the school by 15 January 2026 to be considered correctly. Parents shortlisting should use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense-check travel practicalities and compare local alternatives, then keep a calendar reminder for the council deadline and the supplementary form deadline.

Pastoral systems are woven into routines and responsibility. Pupils have visible roles, including reading ambassadors and wellbeing roles, which signals a culture where contribution is expected, not just rewarded.

Safeguarding information is prominent on the school website, with a structured policy library and clear guidance for reporting concerns. For parents, the key implication is transparency. You can see how the school frames online safety, visitors on site, and day-to-day expectations, which helps families align home and school boundaries.

The wider wellbeing approach includes teaching pupils strategies to manage feelings and regulate emotions. For some children, that explicit vocabulary and structure is exactly what makes school feel manageable. For others who prefer a looser culture, it can feel more rule-led.

St Oswald’s goes well beyond “a few clubs after school”, both in variety and in the fact that activities are mapped across the year.

From the school’s 2024 prospectus, lunchtime and after-school options include School Choir, Judo or Karate, Fencing, Maths Club, Healthy Food club, Performing Arts Club, Zoo Club, and Outdoor Skills Club, alongside team sport options such as football, rugby, cricket, volleyball, athletics, and fundamental sports skills. The implication is a setting where pupils can find a niche even if they are not “sport first” children, and where confidence can grow through belonging to a group with a shared purpose.

Music is structured, not ad hoc. All Year 4 pupils receive weekly guitar lessons, funded by the school and delivered through the Wigan Wider Opportunities programme. That matters because whole-class instrumental teaching often changes how children see themselves, especially those who would not otherwise ask for lessons.

The enrichment plan adds the “texture” parents often want: visiting authors (including Frank Cottrell-Boyce) and themed weeks, plus trips such as Blackpool Zoo, Walton Hall Gardens, and an Upper Key Stage 2 residential at Robin Wood. There is also a clear Catholic strand in seasonal services and retreats, including Advent and Lent services led by a deacon, and a Year 6 retreat.

The school day is clearly set out. Registration opens at 8.50am and closes at 9.00am; the end of day finish time across phases is 3.30pm (with staggered lunch and break arrangements by key stage).

Wraparound care is a genuine on-site option, which is not a given in state primaries. The school prospectus notes breakfast provision from 7.30am, after-school care until 6.00pm, and holiday club operating during school holidays. Wigan’s family services directory also lists the on-site out-of-school club as running 7.30am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Transport-wise, most families will treat this as a walk, short drive, or local drop-off school rather than a long-commute option. If you are balancing several Wigan primaries, the FindMySchool Comparison Tool is useful for putting KS2 outcomes and local rank side by side in one view.

• Oversubscription is real. Recent Reception entry demand sits at around 1.63 applications per place, so admission is the main constraint rather than day-to-day school quality.

• Faith commitment is not cosmetic. The admissions policy and school culture assume families are comfortable with Catholic practice and values being integrated into school life. If that is not a fit, it will grate over time.

• Paperwork can decide outcomes. For faith-priority applicants, missing the supplementary form deadline can drop a child into a lower priority group, even if the council application is correct.

• A structured culture suits many, not all. Behaviour expectations and routines are clear. This often benefits children who like predictability, but families seeking a looser, more informal style should check fit carefully.

St Oswald’s combines strong KS2 outcomes with a clear Catholic identity and a practical level of wraparound support that many families need to make work and school compatible. It suits families who want a faith-led primary with clear routines, strong reading and maths foundations, and plenty of clubs and enrichment to build confidence beyond the classroom. The main challenge is securing a place, and getting the faith paperwork right if you are applying under those criteria.