Leigh Central
Summary
Leigh Central (E02001316) is part of Wigan local authority (view on map). Leigh Central has an approximate population of 7,500 people, of which 20% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".
Leigh Central neighbours Leigh North, Leigh East & Higher Folds, Leigh West, and Leigh South.
Headlines
- 18% of pupils are receiving SEN support, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources
Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.
The data displayed is sourced from:
Deprivation
Leigh Central is the 36th least deprived area in Wigan (out of 40) with 56% of children living in low-income families, compared to 36% across Wigan and 38% nationally.
State-funded pupil characteristics
Information acquired from the school census.
Free school meals
In Leigh Central, 35% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 30% in Wigan and 27% nationally.
Contents
Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
| % in Leigh Central | % in Wigan | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals | 35% | 30% | 27% |
| Not eligible for free school meals | 65% | 70% | 73% |
Special educational needs
In Leigh Central, 24% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 21% in Wigan, and 19% nationally.
This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
| % in Leigh Central | % in Wigan | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No special educational needs | 77% | 79% | 81% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) | 6% | 6% | 5% |
Ethnicity
In Leigh Central, 40% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 15% in Wigan, and 33% nationally.
Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.
Contents
Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups
Table
| % in Leigh Central | % in Wigan | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59% | 85% | 67% |
| Asian | 13% | 4% | 14% |
| Black | 17% | 5% | 7% |
| Mixed | 7% | 4% | 7% |
| Other | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Not known | 1% | 0% | 2% |
English as an additional language
The percentage of pupils in Leigh Central with English as an additional language is 31%, compared with 12% in Wigan, and 22% nationally.
Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language
Table
| % in Leigh Central | % in Wigan | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known or believed to be other than English | 31% | 12% | 22% |
| Known or believed to be English | 69% | 88% | 78% |
Provider information
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Registered childcare providers
Leigh Central has 6 registered childcare providers.
| Type | Number in Leigh Central |
|---|---|
| All childcare providers | 6 |
| Childminders | 1 |
| Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care | 5 |
There have been no inspections of childcare providers in Leigh Central since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
State-funded schools
Leigh Central has 5 state-funded schools.
| Type | Number in Leigh Central |
|---|---|
| All state-funded schools | 5 |
| Nursery schools | 0 |
| Primary and all-through schools | 5 |
| Secondary and all-through schools | 0 |
| Special schools | 0 |
| Registered alternative provision | 0 |
There have been no inspections of schools in Leigh Central since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
Data sources: