Phoenix Primary School

About Phoenix Primary School

Phoenix Primary School in Liverpool holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections, including the graded visit in June 2022. The school’s academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results, which show a significant challenge. Just 24% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 59%. This places Phoenix in the bottom 50 nationally and 100th out of 102 primary schools in Liverpool on this metric. The school’s ranking score of 24 reflects the gap to top-performing local peers like Sudley Primary School, which scored 86. However, the data also reveals pockets of relative strength: 48% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, and the average reading score of 102 is closer to the national benchmark. Maths and writing attainment were lower, with only 33% and 24% meeting expectations respectively, and no pupils achieved the higher standard in writing.

Digging deeper into the 2023/24 exam data, the school’s performance is uneven across subjects. While reading outcomes are the strongest, maths tells a different story: the average maths score was 99, just below the national baseline of 100, and only 6% of pupils reached the higher standard. Writing remains the weakest area, with no pupils achieving the higher standard at all. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. Given that 42.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, the school is serving a community with significant socioeconomic challenges. The Ofsted report from 2022 rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all as Good, suggesting a stable environment despite the academic hurdles.

Phoenix Primary School is a mixed, state-funded primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, library, art studios, and a sensory room, plus clubs like gardening, chess, and eco club. The school has a resourced provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Admissions are oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 47 applications for 22 places, with 21 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.14. This suggests strong local demand despite the academic results. Families considering Phoenix should weigh its inclusive SEND support and broad extracurricular offer against the below-average KS2 outcomes. The nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Smithdown Primary School, 1.7 km away.

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