St Austin's Catholic Primary School

About St Austin's Catholic Primary School

St Austin's Catholic Primary School in Liverpool is a state-funded mixed primary for ages 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It is currently operating very close to capacity, with 419 pupils against a school capacity of 431. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11.1%, which is notably lower than the national average for primary schools. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 85 applications for 52 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.63, and made 44 offers to first-preference families. This suggests a settled local reputation, particularly among Catholic families in the Liverpool area. The school is led by headteacher Colette Hickey and holds a Roman Catholic religious character, which will be a key factor for parents prioritising faith-based education.

Academically, St Austin's performs around the middle of the pack in Liverpool. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 60% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just above the local authority average of 59%. The school ranks 51st out of 102 primary schools in Liverpool, placing it in the bottom half of the local league table. At the higher standard, only 6% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, though individual subject scores were stronger: 77% reached the expected level in reading, 73% in maths, and 67% in writing. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 103 in maths. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in October 2023, confirmed it remains Good overall, a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in 2014, when leadership and management were also judged Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a library, outdoor playground, playing fields, forest school, art studios and a chapel. Sports provision is broad, covering athletics, football, netball, tennis, cricket, swimming and dance, and there are clubs for chess, book club and coding. SEND support is available for pupils with specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia), social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, and other disabilities. For families seeking a Catholic primary with a strong sense of community and good demand from local parents, St Austin's is a sensible choice, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may want to compare it with higher-ranked peers in the city, such as Sudley Primary or Bishop Martin Church of England Primary.

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