St Mary and St Paul's CofE Primary School
About St Mary and St Paul's CofE Primary School
St Mary and St Paul's CofE Primary School in Knowsley is a Church of England primary that currently educates 229 pupils, which is 19 above its official capacity of 210. This oversubscription is reflected in its admissions data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 36 applications for 28 places, with 21 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.29. The school serves a community with a high level of disadvantage — 53% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. This context makes the school's intake notably different from many primaries in more affluent areas, and the fact that it remains popular with local families despite this suggests it is meeting a genuine need. The school has a nursery provision, so children can join from age three, and it offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, a chapel, music rooms and an ICT suite, which are not always standard in a primary of this size.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Feb 2023Source: Ofsted, 18 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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