St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School

About St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School

St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School is a Church of England primary in St. Helens that stands out sharply against the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 89% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a St. Helens LA average of just 61% — a gap of 28 percentage points. That performance places the school 2nd out of 47 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the top 5% locally and in the top 3% nationally. The school also outperforms on the higher standard: 7% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark across all three subjects, while 54% hit the higher standard in maths alone. Reading and writing higher scores were 36% and 21% respectively. These are strong numbers for a school where 41.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average.

The school’s Ofsted record is equally impressive. In its most recent graded inspection in 2019, it was rated Outstanding overall, and a subsequent ungraded inspection in January 2025 confirmed that standards have been maintained. The early years provision, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness all received the top grade of 1. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 100% of the 36 respondents would recommend the school, and 86% strongly agreed that their child is happy there. On safety, 92% strongly agreed that their child feels safe, and 89% strongly agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 79 applications for 29 places, with 33 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.72.

The school offers a nursery provision for children from age 3 and runs a Forest School, a sensory room, a chapel, a sports hall, and playing fields. Clubs include gardening, chess, choir, science, coding, and eco club, while sports on offer are gymnastics, netball, tennis, cross country, and athletics. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs, and multi-sensory impairment. With its strong academic outcomes, Outstanding Ofsted rating, and high parental satisfaction, this is a school that suits families who want a proven track record in a Church of England setting, particularly those who value a broad range of extracurricular activities and a supportive SEND framework.

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