Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #89 in Wigan public Top 80% UK

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Helen Ahmed

location_onLeigh, WN7 1UX

language Visit Website phone 1942674226

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

305

school

Expected Standard

51%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh is a Voluntary aided school primary school in Leigh, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 80% of primary schools nationally.

article

School Summary

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh is a voluntary aided school in Leigh, Wigan, admitting pupils aged 4-11. The school has approximately 298 pupils on roll, of whom 34% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 51% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #89 of 97 primaries in Wigan and #11,481 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 23.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.9 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

51%

LA 63%

Reading60% LA 75%

Writing60% LA 72%

Maths64% LA 76%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

49%

LA 63%England 61%

Reading64% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing58% LA 74% · Eng 72%

Maths64% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

33%

LA 62%England 60%

Reading53% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Writing56% LA 74% · Eng 71%

Maths65% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.2

Read

LA 0.2

-2.1 to 1.7

0.8

Write

LA 0.9

-1.1 to 2.6

2.8

Maths

LA 0.5

0.9 to 4.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 65%England 65%

Reading76% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing73% LA 78% · Eng 78%

Maths78% LA 78% · Eng 79%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.0

Read

LA -0.2

-3.8 to -0.1

-2.3

Write

LA 0.4

-4.0 to -0.6

-1.1

Maths

LA 0.1

-2.7 to 0.5

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

53%

LA 68%

Reading53% LA 78%

Writing67% LA 80%

Maths60% LA 80%

Read SS

100

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-3.9

Read

LA 0.7

-6.1 to -1.7

-4.5

Write

LA 0.7

-6.6 to -2.4

-3.4

Maths

LA 0.9

-5.4 to -1.4

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

08 July 2025

Inspection Report

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06 June 2023

Inspection Report

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14 November 2017

Inspection Report

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07 November 2012

Inspection Report

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10 March 2010

Inspection Report

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13 November 2006

Inspection Report

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14 January 2002

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2025-07-08

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2023-06-06

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2017-11-14

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-11-07

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2010-03-10

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.7%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.3%(4 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 298 pupils. During this period, there were 5 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.7%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	298	5	1.7%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	296	6	2.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	313	8	2.6%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	316	3	0.9%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	308	14	4.5%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	310	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	305	6	2.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	304	3	1.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	306	2	0.7%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	302	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	299	6	2.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	308	2	0.6%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	304	2	0.7%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	308	6	1.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	304	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	304	1	0.3%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	309	5	1.6%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	311	4	1.3%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	314	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	308	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	297	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	294	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	294	1	0.3%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	302	2	0.7%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	297	1	0.3%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	299	4	1.3%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 42 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 26 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 3 pupils

Hearing Impairment 3 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

20.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree63%

agree31%

don't know6%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree54%

agree40%

disagree6%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree54%

agree17%

disagree3%

don't know3%

not applicable23%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree57%

agree40%

don't know3%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree63%

agree34%

disagree3%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree71%

agree26%

disagree3%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree71%

agree29%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree69%

agree23%

strongly disagree3%

don't know6%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree57%

agree34%

strongly disagree3%

don't know6%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes94%

no6%

Top Primary Schools in Wigan

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Hindley

Good

location_on Wigan, WN2 3DG

emoji_events #1 in LA

Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary School

Good

location_on Wigan, WN3 6BL

emoji_events #2 in LA

Golborne Community Primary School

Good

location_on Warrington, WA3 3NN

emoji_events #3 in LA

Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy

Outstanding

location_on Wigan, WN5 0AW

emoji_events #4 in LA

Gilded Hollins Community School

Good

location_on Leigh, WN7 3PQ

emoji_events #5 in LA

Hindsford CofE Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Manchester, M46 9BL

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Wigan arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Wigan

St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Hindley

Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary School

Golborne Community Primary School

Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy

Gilded Hollins Community School

Hindsford CofE Primary School