St Mary's Catholic High School
Manchester Road, Astley, Tyldesley, Manchester, M29 7EEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's Catholic High School is a secondary school in Manchester for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 136 schools in Wigan. It ranks 41st of 60 secondary schools in Manchester. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 2 April 2019, report published 20 May 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 October 2024
There is a real sense of community at this school. Older pupils enjoy running clubs for younger pupils. For instance, pupils in Year 11 run a boys' choir. Students in the sixth form are directing the whole-school production. Alongside developing pupils' interests and talents, this fosters strong and caring relationships. Pupils feel comfortable and happy in school. The school's expectations of pupils' achievement, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have risen considerably. Pupils benefit from high-quality pastoral care. Most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects. Pupils respond well to the school's 'warm strict' behaviour policy. They follow routines diligently. Pupils are polite and friendly. They are confident, resilient and able to engage thoughtfully in debate. Student leaders are proud to wear their coloured ties. The school helps to develop pupils into active citizens. For example, one of the student committees successfully led a campaign to reduce litter pollution on the school site. Pupils participate in charitable events such as raising money for the homeless. They are aware of different cultures and religions and the importance of being welcoming and accepting of everyone.
What the school should improve
- Some pupils' attendance rates are not improving quickly enough. This means that they are not benefiting fully from the school's curriculum or its work around personal development. The school should ensure that it supports pupils, including those in the sixth form and those with SEND, to attend school more regularly.
- Some of the school's assessment methods are not used as effectively as they could be to help pupils to embed and consolidate learning and to inform teachers' next steps. As a result, a small number of pupils, including some with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that it supports staff to use assessment information to check that pupils do not have gaps in learning before introducing new concepts.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
253 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
89 students
Average A level grade C, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,537 pupils on roll, with places for 1,569
Schools near St Mary's Catholic High School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford High School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 45.5 |
| Fred Longworth High School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 45.9 |
| Atherton High School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 39.3 |
| The Lowry Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 44.7 |
| Star Salford Academy | 3 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Denise Brahms
- Phone
- 01942884144
- Address
- Manchester Road, Astley, Tyldesley, Manchester, M29 7EE
- Local authority
- Wigan
- URN
- 106538
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.