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St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy

St. Helens, WA12 9QQPrimaryAges 7–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Nov 2022
KS2 Results
No data
Competition
N/A
No data
Ranking
Not ranked

About St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy

St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy in St Helens received a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in November 2022, a rating it has now held across two consecutive inspections. The school's overall effectiveness score of 3 out of 4 matches its previous inspection in 2018, when it was also judged to require improvement. However, the breakdown reveals a more nuanced picture: inspectors rated both personal development and behaviour and attitudes as Good, the second-highest mark. The weaker areas were quality of education and leadership and management, both judged as Requires Improvement. For a junior school serving 229 pupils aged 7 to 11, this pattern suggests that while the school's culture and pupil conduct are on solid ground, the academic curriculum and its delivery need further work. The school's local authority, St Helens, has seven primary schools rated Outstanding out of 54 total, so the benchmark for excellence is present nearby.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range7 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressBarn Way, Newton-le-Willows, St. Helens, WA12 9QQ
HeadteacherSamantha Birchall
Local AuthoritySt. Helens
Number of Pupils229
Free School Meals (FSM)17.9%
School Capacity229 / 240 (95% full)

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

22 Nov 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 23 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Dining HallICT SuiteGymnasiumMusic RoomsSensory RoomArt StudiosSports HallPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

13

Sports

NetballRoundersGymnasticsCricketDanceFootballSwimming

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubChessFilm ClubChoirDramaGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy

St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.