St Mary's Catholic Primary School

About St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in St Helens is a smaller than average primary, with 186 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210. That leaves some physical headroom, but the school is clearly in high demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 42 applications for just 22 places, with all 22 first-preference applicants offered a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.91 tells you this is a school local families actively want. The pupil body is notably less disadvantaged than the national picture — just 4.8% of children are eligible for free school meals, compared with a typical primary average of around 23% nationally. As a Roman Catholic school, its intake will naturally reflect families who prioritise that faith character, though the admission data suggests it’s drawing from a broad enough pool to be selective on preference alone. The school is mixed, takes children from age 4 to 11, and is led by headteacher Ruth Martin.

Academically, St Mary’s is a standout performer in St Helens. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests, 97% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well above the local authority average of 61%. That performance places the school first out of 47 primary schools in the borough, and 57th nationally out of 13,686. The proportion reaching the higher standard in reading was 63%, in maths 70%, and in writing 27%. Average scaled scores were 110 in reading and 111 in maths, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, rated it Good overall, with personal development judged Outstanding. Compared with its previous inspection in 2008, when it was rated Outstanding, the overall effectiveness has stepped down one grade, but the inspection team noted that behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and the quality of education are all Good, with early years provision also Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a chapel, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields, a forest school area and an ICT suite. Sports on offer include football, netball, athletics, rounders and swimming, while clubs extend to chess, choir, film club, coding and book club. The school has identified SEND provision for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. For families considering St Mary’s, the key practical point is that oversubscription is real: with 42 applications for 22 places, a first-preference application is essential. The school suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a faith-based setting, and who are comfortable with a relatively small, close-knit school community. There is no nursery or sixth form on site.

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