St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant School
109%
Capacity
392
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant School
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant School serves children from age 3 to 7 in Knowsley, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 judged it Good overall, with leadership, early years provision and management all rated Good. The school is oversubscribed, receiving 148 applications for 101 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, with 85 offers going to first-preference families. That level of demand suggests local parents see it as a strong option, but it is worth noting that the nearest Outstanding-rated primary, Malvern Primary School, is only 0.6 km away. The school's capacity of 360 is currently exceeded by its roll of 392 pupils, which is a practical point to bear in mind if you are considering a place for your child.
Academic outcomes data for this infant school is not published in the same way as for older primaries, so there is no KS2 SATs or Progress 8 score to compare against the Knowsley LA average of 60 for KS2 attainment. The school's focus is on the early years and Key Stage 1, and its nursery provision means children can join from age 3. The parent view survey, based on 20 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows that 85% of parents strongly agree or agree that their child is happy at the school, and 85% feel their child is safe. However, only 65% would recommend the school to another parent, and responses on how concerns are dealt with are more mixed, with 10% strongly disagreeing that issues are handled properly.
The school offers a range of facilities including a library, forest school, music rooms, sports hall, chapel and art studios, and clubs such as gardening, film club, drama, coding and choir. Sports on offer include athletics, cricket, gymnastics, swimming, cross country and football. For children with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is Roman Catholic in character, and with 30% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a diverse intake. This is a school that suits families looking for a faith-based infant setting with a strong early years focus, but the oversubscription and mixed parent feedback on communication and activities are worth weighing up.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Pilch Lane, Liverpool, Knowsley, L14 0JG |
| Headteacher | Sarah-Jane Carroll |
| Local Authority | Knowsley |
| Number of Pupils | 392 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.0% |
| School Capacity | 392 / 360 (109% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Nov 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (6 Nov 2024): Standards maintained
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Dec 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Ofsted Parent View
20 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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed101
148
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
86 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
08:00-08:50
After-school care
15:15-17:30
Source: stmargaretmarysinfant.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British81.9%
- Asian11.0%
- Mixed2.1%
- White (other)1.5%
- Black0.5%
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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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.
11
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
9
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Pilch Lane, Liverpool
Knowsley, L14 0JG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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