St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield
| Type | Secondary / Voluntary aided school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Rookery Avenue Ashton-in-Makerfield Wigan Lancashire WN4 9PF |
| Phone | 01942728651 |
| Reference Number | 106540 |
St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School is performing strongly, with pupils consistently achieving well across various subjects and maintaining above-average outcomes in national examinations. The school has established an exemplary culture of safeguarding and has made significant efforts to support disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, ensuring they can access a high-quality curriculum. Behaviour is exemplary, with pupils demonstrating self-regulation and respect. The school's leadership is effective, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and professional development for staff.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1202 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 50.42%
Girls: 49.58% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 13.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 6.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.8 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 110 | 128 | 238 |
| 8 | 112 | 135 | 247 |
| 9 | 127 | 114 | 241 |
| 10 | 126 | 112 | 238 |
| 11 | 131 | 107 | 238 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 90.6% |
| White, Other | 4% |
| African | 1.4% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.7% |
| Chinese | 0.7% |
| Asian, Other | 0.6% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.3% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
| White & Asian | 0.1% |
| Indian | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Strong standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Strong standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Strong standard |
| > Achievement | Strong standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Strong standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Strong standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 03 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 16 Nov 2021 | School inspection |
| 01 Feb 2017 | Short inspection |
| 04 Mar 2014 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 26 Jan 2012 | Full inspection |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Interim assessment |
| 08 Dec 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 25 Apr 2007 | Full inspection |
| 05 Feb 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils achieve consistently well across the curriculum.
- Strong performance in national examinations, especially in English and mathematics.
- High attendance rates above national figures.
- Exemplary behaviour and attitudes to learning.
- A broad and ambitious curriculum that is well-sequenced.
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs.
- Strong professional learning opportunities for staff.
- Well-developed personal development and wellbeing programme.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 49.1 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 50.8% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 67.6% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 87 | 6 |
| Third Preference | 77 | 2 |
| From another Local Authority | 117 | 71 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Oswald's Catholic Primary School
Council Avenue, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 9AZ |
0.37 miles |
|
R L Hughes Primary School
Mayfield Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 9QL |
0.56 miles |
|
St Thomas CofE Primary School
Hodnet Drive, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8PQ |
0.59 miles |
|
St Wilfrids Catholic Primary School
Golborne Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8SJ |
1.02 miles |
|
Nicol Mere School
Roman Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8DF |
1.07 miles |
|
Haydock English Martyrs' Primary School
Piele Road, Haydock, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA11 0JY |
1.33 miles |
|
Willow Grove Primary School
Willow Grove, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN4 8XF |
1.33 miles |
|
Bryn St Peter's CofE Primary School
Downall Green Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0DL |
1.4 miles |
|
St James' Church of England Primary School
Lyme Street, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 0NL |
1.42 miles |
|
Garswood Primary and Nursery School
Hamilton Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0SF |
1.48 miles |
|
Rectory CofE Primary School
Rectory Road, North Ashton, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0QF |
1.59 miles |
|
Golborne Community Primary School
Talbot Street, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 3NN |
1.65 miles |
|
Grange Valley Primary School
Heyes Avenue, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 0XQ |
1.83 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Infant Academy
Victoria Road, Newton-le-Willows, St Helens, Merseyside, WA12 9RX |
1.84 miles |
|
Lyme Community Primary School
Lyme Street, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9HD |
1.88 miles |
|
St Thomas CofE Junior and Infant School
Church Street, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 3TH |
1.9 miles |
|
All Saints Catholic Primary School, Golborne, Wigan
Hazel Grove, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 3LU |
1.94 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy
Barn Way, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9QQ |
1.94 miles |
|
The District CofE Primary School
Patterson Street, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9PZ |
1.98 miles |
|
Newton-le-Willows Primary School
Sanderling Road, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9UF |
2.04 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Byrchall High School
Warrington Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 9PQ |
0.09 miles |
|
Cansfield High School
Old Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 9TP |
0.79 miles |
|
Hope Academy
Ashton Road, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 0AQ |
1.55 miles |
|
Learn 4 Life School
64a Rectory Road, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN4 0QD |
1.56 miles |
|
Martha H School
Downall Green Road, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN4 0LZ |
1.6 miles |
|
Landgate School, Bryn
Landgate Lane, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Bryn, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN4 0EP |
1.75 miles |
|
Outwood Academy Haydock
Clipsley Lane, Haydock, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA11 0JG |
1.94 miles |
|
Golborne High School
Lowton Road, Golborne, Warrington, Cheshire, WA3 3EL |
2.17 miles |
|
Willow Bank School
Winwick Road, St Helens, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 8DE |
2.42 miles |
|
Wargrave House School
449 Wargrave Road, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 8RS |
2.71 miles |
|
Hope School
Kelvin Grove, Marus Bridge, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN3 6SP |
2.72 miles |
|
Hawkley Hall High School
Carr Lane, Hawkley Hall, Wigan, Lancashire, WN3 5NY |
2.82 miles |
|
Progress Arc Billinge School
Carr Mill Road, Billinge, Wigan, Lancashire, WN5 7TT |
2.96 miles |
|
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
Boardmans Lane, Blackbrook, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA11 9BB |
3.19 miles |
|
Green Meadow Independent Primary School
Robson Way, Lowton, Warrington, WA3 2RD |
3.19 miles |
|
Newbridge Learning Community
Moss Lane, Platt Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire, WN2 3TL |
3.35 miles |
|
Lansbury Bridge School
Lansbury Avenue, Parr, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 1TB |
3.41 miles |
|
Mill Green School
Lansbury Avenue, Parr, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 1BU |
3.42 miles |
|
Expanse Learning Wigan School
Tyrer Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN3 5XF |
3.56 miles |
|
St Cuthbert's Catholic High School
Berrys Lane, Sutton, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 3HE |
3.67 miles |