St John's Catholic Primary School

About St John's Catholic Primary School

St John's Catholic Primary School sits comfortably above the Liverpool local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 80% of its pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the LA average of 59%. That 21-point gap places the school fourth out of 102 primary schools in Liverpool, putting it in the top 4% locally and the top 11% nationally. The school's performance is particularly strong in reading, where 88% met the expected standard and 38% achieved a higher score, while maths saw 86% at expected and 32% at the higher level. These figures are backed by an Outstanding rating from Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection, with every assessed category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Outstanding. The school has held this top rating consistently, having also been judged Outstanding in its previous inspection.

Academic outcomes at St John's are strong across the board, with average scaled scores of 107 in both reading and maths, comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined stands at 14%, which is a solid figure for a school where nearly a third of pupils (32.9%) are eligible for free school meals. The school's Progress 8 data is not available, but the raw attainment figures tell a clear story of a school that delivers well above the local norm. In the Liverpool rankings, St John's sits just behind three other primaries, all of which scored 83 or above on the same metric. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024 confirmed that standards remain high, with inspectors noting Outstanding provision across the board, including early years and personal development.

The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 104 applications for 61 places, with 66 first-preference applications and 60 offers made to first-preference families. That oversubscription ratio of 1.7 reflects its strong reputation locally. St John's is a Roman Catholic primary serving children aged 2 to 11, with nursery provision on site. Facilities include a chapel, sensory room, library, ICT suite, art studios, sports hall and playing fields, and the school offers a wide range of clubs from drama and choir to eco club and gardening. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, multi-sensory impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 95% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed their child is happy, and 95% felt their child is safe. 90% would recommend the school to other parents. This is a high-performing, faith-based primary that suits families prioritising strong academic outcomes within a Catholic ethos, though non-Catholic families should check admission criteria given the oversubscription.

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