Nicol Mere School

Nicol Mere School has demonstrated outstanding performance across all areas, maintaining its exceptional standard from previous inspections. Pupils thrive in a supportive environment that fosters high aspirations, creating a vibrant atmosphere where they are excited to learn. The school offers a broad and ambitious curriculum that not only equips students with essential academic skills but also nurtures their personal development and wellbeing. Staff are highly trained and passionate, effectively engaging students in a wide range of learning experiences and ensuring that everyone's needs, including those of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are met with great care and dedication.

Strengths

• Exceptional progress in pupil learning
• High standards of behaviour and manners among students
• Strong emphasis on reading and literacy skills
• Engagement in diverse extracurricular activities
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Outstanding personal development programme
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Nicol Mere School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Nicol Mere School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Nicol Mere School had 21.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.3% of pupils at Nicol Mere School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Nicol Mere School received £6,676 and spent £6,379 for each of its 418 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £389,000 (£931 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Wigan · Wigan local authority: places and applications

What is Nicol Mere School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Nicol Mere School is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Nicol Mere School last inspected by Ofsted?

Nicol Mere School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Nicol Mere School have?

Nicol Mere School has 418 pupils on roll.

What age range does Nicol Mere School cover?

Nicol Mere School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Nicol Mere School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Nicol Mere School?

Nicol Mere School is at Roman Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8DF.