St Paul's Catholic Junior School

About St Paul's Catholic Junior School

St Paul's Catholic Junior School sits below the Liverpool local authority average on the key headline measure for primary schools. In the 2023/24 academic year, 46% of its pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 59%. That gap of 13 percentage points places the school in the bottom half of primary schools in Liverpool, ranked 83rd out of 102. The picture is more mixed when you look at individual subjects. Reading scores are the strongest, with 73% of pupils meeting the expected standard and an average scaled score of 103. Maths is weaker, with only 55% reaching the expected level and an average score of 101. Writing sits in between at 69%. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 4%, well below what many local schools achieve. This is a school where the headline figure suggests there is significant room for improvement, particularly in maths and writing.

The school's most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2016, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. An ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. That is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2014, when it was rated Requires Improvement. So while the exam results are below the LA average, the school has been judged to be on a positive trajectory by inspectors. The Progress 8 measure is not available for this school, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. In the local rankings, St Paul's sits in the bottom 50% nationally and regionally, at the 84th percentile nationally and 82nd in the North West. For parents focused purely on academic outcomes, the data suggests this school is not among the strongest performers in Liverpool, though the Ofsted rating indicates that leadership and behaviour are not concerns.

The school is significantly oversubscribed, with 500 pupils on roll against a capacity of 480, and 22.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. It is a Roman Catholic junior school for children aged 7 to 11, so it does not have a nursery or sixth form. Facilities include a library, sports hall, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel. The sports programme covers cricket, rounders, dance, cross country, football, athletics and netball, and there are clubs such as book club, coding, film club, chess and choir. The school has a broad range of SEND provisions, including support for dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that may suit families who prioritise a faith-based environment and a wide range of extracurricular activities, and who are comfortable with academic results that are below the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Paul's Catholic Junior School

Helpful Guides for Parents