How many schools are in Wigan?

Wigan has 144 open schools — 99 primary schools and 19 secondary schools across 12 areas. Data sourced from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools (GIAS) register.

What areas are covered by Wigan school catchment zones?

Wigan administers catchment areas across 12 areas, including Wigan, Leigh, Manchester, Warrington, Greater Manchester and more. Each school's catchment boundary is set by the local authority and reviewed annually as part of the admissions process.

How do school catchment areas work in Wigan?

In Wigan, catchment areas define a geographical zone around each school. Children living within the catchment boundary are given priority in oversubscription criteria. The exact boundary — and the "last distance offered" — changes each year based on application volumes. Official catchment maps and admissions policies are published by Wigan council each autumn.

Which schools in Wigan are oversubscribed?

Oversubscription varies by school and year in Wigan. Popular schools typically receive more applications than available places, meaning the "last distance offered" shrinks annually. To check demand for a specific school, consult the Wigan admissions authority's published offer data or the school's own admissions policy.

Wigan School Catchment Areas

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Wigan has 144 schools — 99 primary and 19 secondary — spread across a mix of towns and areas.

The largest concentrations sit around Wigan, Leigh and Manchester, which together account for a meaningful share of the council's pupil places.

Selective schools are part of the mix in Wigan — for those applying to grammar schools, a selective admissions test is required in addition to the standard admissions process.

144 total 99 primary 19 secondary 12 areas

Wigan Catchment Area Documents

Official admissions policies and catchment boundary maps for Wigan schools are published annually.

Find admissions documents →

Schools in Wigan

87 schools

Hindley Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Wigan · WN2 4LG

Ages 2–5 102 pupils

Douglas Valley Nursery School

Nursery · Local authority nursery school

Wigan · WN1 3SU

Ages 2–5 118 pupils

Beech Hill Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN6 7PT

Ages 3–11 294 pupils Capacity 270

Woodfield Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN1 2NT

Ages 4–11 210 pupils Capacity 210

Marsh Green Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN5 0EF

Ages 2–11 392 pupils Capacity 420

Wigan Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN3 5HN

Ages 3–11 227 pupils Capacity 236

Mab's Cross Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN1 1XL

Ages 4–11 475 pupils Capacity 490

Winstanley Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN3 6JP

Ages 3–11 447 pupils Capacity 475

Orrell Newfold Community Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN5 7BD

Ages 3–11 447 pupils Capacity 409

Hindley Junior and Infant School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN2 3PN

Ages 4–11 209 pupils Capacity 210

Britannia Bridge Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN3 4SD

Ages 3–11 218 pupils Capacity 262

R L Hughes Primary School

Primary · Community school

Wigan · WN4 9QL

Ages 3–11 440 pupils Capacity 460

Showing 12 of 87. View all schools in Wigan →

Schools in Leigh

18 schools

Leigh Central Primary School

Primary · Community school

Leigh · WN7 1UY

Ages 4–11 211 pupils Capacity 210

Newton Westpark Primary School

Primary · Community school

Leigh · WN7 5JY

Ages 4–11 207 pupils Capacity 210

Gilded Hollins Community School

Primary · Community school

Leigh · WN7 3PQ

Ages 4–11 212 pupils Capacity 210

St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 2AS

Ages 4–11 407 pupils Capacity 420

Westleigh St Paul's CofE Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 5JN

Ages 4–11 205 pupils Capacity 210

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 2PW

Ages 4–11 213 pupils Capacity 210

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 1UX

Ages 4–11 298 pupils Capacity 315

St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 2XG

Ages 3–11 374 pupils Capacity 315

Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 4HB

Ages 4–11 208 pupils Capacity 210

Leigh St Mary's CofE Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 1YE

Ages 4–11 207 pupils Capacity 210

Leigh St John's CofE Primary

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Leigh · WN7 1RY

Ages 5–11 212 pupils Capacity 210

Bedford High School

Secondary · Community school

Leigh · WN7 2LU

Ages 11–16 1101 pupils Capacity 1210

Showing 12 of 18. View all schools in Leigh →

Schools in Manchester

18 schools

Meadowbank Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M46 0HX

Ages 3–11 229 pupils Capacity 258

Garrett Hall Primary School

Primary · Community school

Manchester · M29 7EY

Ages 3–11 498 pupils Capacity 427

Hindsford CofE Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Manchester · M46 9BL

Ages 4–11 210 pupils Capacity 210

Chowbent Primary School

Primary · Voluntary controlled school

Manchester · M46 9FP

Ages 4–11 142 pupils Capacity 210

St Stephen's CofE Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M29 7BT

Ages 3–11 213 pupils Capacity 236

St John's CofE Primary School Mosley Common

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M28 1AE

Ages 4–11 194 pupils Capacity 175

St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M46 0HA

Ages 4–11 184 pupils Capacity 210

Sacred Heart RC Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M46 9BN

Ages 4–11 174 pupils Capacity 210

Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M28 1AG

Ages 4–11 211 pupils Capacity 210

St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M29 7DY

Ages 4–11 210 pupils Capacity 210

St Philip's CofE Primary School, Atherton

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M46 9FD

Ages 4–11 396 pupils Capacity 420

St Mary's Catholic High School

Secondary · Voluntary aided school

Manchester · M29 7EE

Ages 11–18 1561 pupils Capacity 1569

Showing 12 of 18. View all schools in Manchester →

Schools in Warrington

10 schools

Lowton Junior and Infant School

Primary · Foundation school

Warrington · WA3 2AW

Ages 4–11 199 pupils Capacity 210

Lowton West Primary School

Primary · Community school

Warrington · WA3 2ED

Ages 4–11 431 pupils Capacity 420

St Luke's CofE Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Warrington · WA3 2PW

Ages 4–11 211 pupils Capacity 198

St Thomas CofE Junior and Infant School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Warrington · WA3 3TH

Ages 4–11 213 pupils Capacity 210

All Saints Catholic Primary School, Golborne, Wigan

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Warrington · WA3 3LU

Ages 3–11 247 pupils Capacity 210

St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Lowton

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Warrington · WA3 2PQ

Ages 4–11 213 pupils Capacity 210

Golborne High School

Secondary · Foundation school

Warrington · WA3 3EL

Ages 11–16 1147 pupils Capacity 1075

Green Meadow Independent Primary School

Not applicable · Other independent school

Warrington · WA3 2RD

Ages 3–14 10 pupils Capacity 198

Lowton Church of England High School

Secondary · Foundation school

Warrington · WA3 1DU

Ages 11–16 819 pupils Capacity 850

Golborne Community Primary School

Primary · Academy converter

Warrington · WA3 3NN

Ages 3–11 361 pupils Capacity 345

Schools in Greater Manchester

3 schools

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Greater Manchester · M46 0PA

Ages 4–11 210 pupils Capacity 210

The Holden School

Not applicable · Other independent special school

Greater Manchester · WN7 4SB

Ages 4–18 79 pupils Capacity 84

CEWE School

Not applicable · Other independent special school

Greater Manchester · WN1 3JW

Ages 4–11 35 pupils Capacity 46

Schools in WIGAN

2 schools

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

WIGAN · WN6 7RH

Ages 3–11 427 pupils Capacity 420

St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School Wigan

Primary · Voluntary aided school

WIGAN · WN5 9LW

Ages 4–11 392 pupils Capacity 385

Schools in WARRINGTON

1 school

Lowton St Mary's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

WARRINGTON · WA3 1EW

Ages 3–11 244 pupils Capacity 210

Schools in Select

1 school

Twelve Apostles Catholic Primary School

Primary · Voluntary aided school

Select · WN7 5JS

Ages 4–11 211 pupils Capacity 210

Schools in Hindley

1 school

The Parks School

Not applicable · Other independent special school

Hindley · WN2 3AN

Ages 11–16 21 pupils Capacity 30

Schools in Atherton

1 school

Atherton High School

Secondary · Free schools

Atherton · M46 0AY

Ages 11–16 547 pupils Capacity 550

Schools in Hindley, Wigan

1 school

Three Towers Alternative Provision Academy

Not applicable · Academy alternative provision sponsor led

Hindley, Wigan · WN2 3RX

Ages 4–16 145 pupils Capacity 193

Schools in Other

1 school

Progress Schools Wigan

Not applicable · Other independent school

· WN1 1RU

Ages 11–16 9 pupils Capacity 35