SCHOOL PROFILE

The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College

Secondary Voluntary aided school URN 106534
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 1,389 Published school capacity
Capacity used 98.3% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 11 – 18 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest inspection

9 June 2026
Latest published outcome Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding Met
Inclusion Expected standard
Curriculum & teaching Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Attendance & behaviour Expected standard
Personal development Strong standard
Leadership & governance Expected standard
INSPECTION HISTORY

Previous Ofsted activity

19 May 2022
Ungraded inspection School remains Good
Published 6 July 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Voluntary aided school
Phase Secondary
Gender Mixed
Religious character Church of England
Local authority Wigan
Trust Not applicable
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 1,365 1,365 full-time · 0 part-time
Female pupils 667 48.9% of pupils
Male pupils 698 51.1% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

31.0%
6.2 pts above England
School 31.0%
Wigan 29.4%
North West 28.5%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

9.9%
10.4 pts below England
School 9.9%
Wigan 11.9%
North West 18.1%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

2.4%
1.4 pts above England
School 2.4%
Wigan 0.5%
North West 0.8%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
82.6%
1,127
African
3.8%
52
Any other White background
3.0%
41
Any other Asian background
1.8%
24
White and Asian
1.5%
21
Any other ethnic group
1.4%
19
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 16.2% 221 of 1,365 pupils
4.6 pts below England England: 20.8%
School 16.2%
Wigan 22.5%
North West 22.1%
England 20.8%
SEN support 13.3% 181 pupils
England 14.8% 1.5 pts below
EHC plans 2.9% 40 pupils
England 6.0% 3.1 pts below
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Moderate learning difficulty 90
Social, emotional & mental health 71
Speech, language & communication 48
Physical disability 12

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Key stage 4 outcomes

Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.

2024/25
ATTAINMENT 8

Average attainment score

45.7 6.5 pts above England
School 45.7
Wigan 36.6
North West 37.7
England 39.2
English & maths grade 5+ 40.2% England 36.0% 4.2 pts above England
English & maths grade 4+ 65.5% England 51.4% 14.1 pts above England
EBacc entry 8.0% England 30.6% 22.6 pts below England
EBacc average point score 3.83 England 3.41
Progress 8 Not available for 2024/25

Latest published: -0.31 · 2023/24

Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.

ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE

Attendance profile

Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.

2024/25
ABSENCE RATE

Overall absence

8.78%

Percentage of possible sessions missed.

2.56 pts higher than England
School 8.78%
Wigan 6.03%
North West 6.25%
England 6.22%
ABSENCE RATE

Persistent absence

24.43%

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

8.61 pts higher than England
School 24.43%
Wigan 15.01%
North West 15.89%
England 15.82%
ABSENCE RATE

Severe absence

3.85%

Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.

2.05 pts higher than England
School 3.85%
Wigan 1.55%
North West 1.75%
England 1.80%
Council, regional and national comparisons are averages of published school-level percentages rather than pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open secondary schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

98.3% 6.0 pts above England
The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College
98.3%
Wigan
96.1%
North West
91.8%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information