SchoolScoresChrist Church CofE Primary School, Pennington
Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England
West Bridgewater Street, Pennington, Leigh, WN7 4HB
01942 673667 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 11 February 2020.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 29 January 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
Leigh comparisons use the 8 of its 16 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 8 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Leigh | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 2nd highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Leigh. Higher than 41% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 94% | 87% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school 4th highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Leigh. Higher than 39% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 94% | 87% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 5th highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Leigh. Higher than 12% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 75% | 81% | 84% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 22 parents who had raised a concern 4th highest of 7 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Leigh. Higher than 32% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 77% | 76% | 76% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 10 parents of children with SEND 2nd highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Wigan. Higher than 43% of 2,087 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 70% | – | 68% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 5th highest of 8 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Leigh. Higher than 28% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 84%said yes | 81% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 15%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Leigh figures pool parents at the Leigh schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
30 pupils in this year group.
43% — 23 points below the Wigan average, and 19 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Wigan | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 43% | 66% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 10% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 73% | 77% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 43% | 74% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 63% | 77% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 106 | 106 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 103 | 105 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Wigan. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 30 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 31 |
| Of those, offered a place | 26 (84%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 55 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.8 · 2025: 0.8 · 2026: 1.0
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
This is a Church of England school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Wigan | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 7th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 81% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 40.4% | 29.8%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 4th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 86% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 5.8% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 8th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 67% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 16.8% | 15.7%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 14th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 51% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 10.1% | 13.1%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 14th lowest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Lower than 15% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 6.6% | 5.2%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 11th lowest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Lower than 23% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 17.0% | 12.3%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 16th lowest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Lower than 1% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 24.0 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 15th lowest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Lower than 2% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 5.8% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 10th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 60% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 21.4 | 21.5 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 12th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 25% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 9.3 | 10.5 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year Joint 15th highest of 16 state primary schools in Leigh. Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 12.7%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Leigh St Mary's CofE Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2008), confirmed 2024 · 43% met expected standard (KS2)
- Leigh CofE Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 7 expected · 45% met expected standard (KS2)
- Leigh Central Primary School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 55% met expected standard (KS2)
- Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh 0.5 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 51% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh 0.8 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 48% met expected standard (KS2)
- Leigh St John's CofE Primary 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2019), confirmed 2025 · 67% met expected standard (KS2)
- Bedford Hall Methodist Primary School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022) · 57% met expected standard (KS2)
- Leigh St Peter's CofE Primary School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- Gilded Hollins Community School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 97% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington's Ofsted rating?
Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 11 February 2020. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 29 January 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
How did Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 43% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 19 points below the England average of 62%.
Would parents recommend Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington?
84% of the 32 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 31 families put Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington as their first choice for 30 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 26 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 106512.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.