St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
About St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
St Mary's Catholic College in Wallasey is a school that parents clearly want to get into, even as it works through a period of challenge. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 403 applications for 207 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.95. That means nearly two families applied for every spot, and all 197 first-preference applicants were offered a place. This level of demand suggests the school retains strong local appeal, particularly among Catholic families in Wirral. However, the most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023 rated the school Requires Improvement overall, a repeat of its 2019 grade. There are some green shoots: inspectors rated both Behaviour and Attitudes and Personal Development as Good, which points to a positive day-to-day atmosphere for pupils. The leadership and management, along with the quality of education, were both judged to require improvement, and the sixth-form provision also dropped from Good to Requires Improvement compared with the previous inspection.
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
4 Oct 2023Source: Ofsted, 20 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
21Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:05
Breakfast club
08:00-08:35
Source: stmaryswallasey.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications