Classpot

Merton Bank Primary School

St. Helens, WA9 1EJPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
May 2024
KS2 Results
41%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
25 1st-choice / 28 places
Ranking
#12,370
of 13,686 nationally

About Merton Bank Primary School

Merton Bank Primary School is a state primary in St. Helens that currently receives strong local demand, with 50 applications for 28 places in the 2025/26 admissions round. That works out at 1.79 applications per place, and 25 of those 50 were first-preference choices, suggesting families in the area are actively seeking a place here. However, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2017. The picture is more mixed beneath that headline: behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision were all judged Good. It’s the quality of education that pulled the overall rating down, graded Requires Improvement. The school has a nursery provision and serves 218 pupils against a capacity of 236, so there is some room. With 55.4 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, this is a school serving a community with above-average disadvantage.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressRoper Street, St Helens, St. Helens, WA9 1EJ
HeadteacherRebecca King
Local AuthoritySt. Helens
Number of Pupils218
Free School Meals (FSM)55.4%
School Capacity218 / 236 (92% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

8 May 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 18 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Music RoomsICT SuiteGymnasiumSports HallArt StudiosDining HallPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

12

Sports

SwimmingCricketCross CountryNetballRoundersFootballAthletics

Clubs & Activities

CodingChoirDramaArt ClubBook Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning DifficultySevere Learning

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:45

Source: mertonbank.st-helens.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Merton Bank Primary School

Merton Bank Primary School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.