St Anselm's College
96%
Capacity
985
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About St Anselm's College
St Anselm's College is a Roman Catholic boys' secondary school in Wirral, and it sits eighth out of 22 schools of its type in the local authority. That puts it comfortably in the top half of the table, though it's worth noting the three highest-ranked peers in the area are Upton Hall School FCJ, Birkenhead High School Academy, and West Kirby Grammar School. The school is a state-funded boys' school with a sixth form, and it's noticeably oversubscribed: for 156 places in the 2025/26 intake, there were 332 applications, with 162 families putting it as their first preference. That works out at a ratio of just over two applicants per place, so it's a popular choice locally. The headteacher is Serena Cubbin, and the school has capacity for 1,026 pupils, with 985 currently on roll. Just under 12% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is a useful benchmark for the area.
Academically, St Anselm's delivers solid, if not spectacular, results. Its Progress 8 score of 0.03 is above the Wirral average of -0.12, meaning pupils make slightly better progress than the typical student in the local authority. Attainment 8 sits at 55.6, and 71.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025 rated it Good overall, with leadership and management, sixth-form provision, and behaviour all judged Good. That's a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2016, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.24 is classed as Above average, and the average points per entry works out at a B- grade. Just over a fifth of A-level entries were graded AAB or higher.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a sports hall, swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, science labs, and a sixth form centre. There's a strong range of clubs and activities on offer, from coding and eco club to young enterprise and debate, and 81% of parents who responded to the Parent View survey strongly agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities. The school also has a chapel, reflecting its Roman Catholic character. For families with children who have special educational needs, St Anselm's lists provisions for a range of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. The school is oversubscribed, so early application is essential. It will particularly suit families looking for a Catholic boys' school with a strong sixth form, good behaviour standards, and a clear upward trajectory in its inspection history.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Manor Hill, Prenton, Wirral, CH43 1UQ |
| Headteacher | Serena Cubbin |
| Local Authority | Wirral |
| Number of Pupils | 985 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 11.8% |
| School Capacity | 985 / 1,026 (96% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 23 Jul 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.03)
1450th of 3,141
Nationally
150th of 445
In North West
8th of 20
In Wirral
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
36.3
'22/23
33.6
'23/24
35.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2374%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 151 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)74%
- Sixth form college14%
- Apprenticeship6%
- FE college2%
- Not sustained2%
- Employment1%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2369%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 102 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
51%
Russell Group
56%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)69%
- Employment11%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Other education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics38
- Biology28
- History26
- Chemistry23
- Business Studies:Single21
- Physics19
- Psychology19
- Economics17
- Religious Studies17
- Physical Education / Sports Studies10
- Geography9
- Mathematics (Further)9
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
377 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed156
332
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
162 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.0%
- Asian8.5%
- Mixed5.0%
- White (other)2.6%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
14
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
10
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Anselm's College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Manor Hill, Prenton
Wirral, CH43 1UQ
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