Schools by area › Wigan › St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell
St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Voluntary aided
St James Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7AA · orrellsaintjames.wigan.sch.uk · 01942 748455
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jun 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 80%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Wigan 66%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 0.62 mi
- 1.01 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Criterion 6 · Wigan Council
- Demand for places
- 1.2
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 347
- 86% of 405 places
- Local authority
- Wigan
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 9.5%
- First language not English
- 3.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered under “Criterion 6” went to a home 0.62 mi (1.01 km) from the school. Source: Wigan Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 54 families put the school first and 46 places were offered; 85% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 46 | 54 | 1.2▲ | 85% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 40 | 40 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 44 | 44 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 39 | 37 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 55 | 45 | 0.8 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception – Criterion 6 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 0.62 mi1.01 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 80% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 20% the higher standard. Across Wigan it was 66%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲80% | 62% | ||
| ▲20% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲110 | 106 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
| ▲110 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St James' Catholic Primary School Orrell on 23 June 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 23 Jun 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Feb 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Feb 2022Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Apr 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Mar 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
95% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (61 replies, to 2 January 2023).
- Recommend
- 95%
- Replies
- 61
- 15% · 2 Jan 2023
based on the 74% who raised concerns
based on the 16% who had a child bullied
based on 11 parents (18%) with SEND