University of Liverpool Mathematics School

About University of Liverpool Mathematics School

University of Liverpool Mathematics School sits within the Liverpool local authority as a specialist 16-19 state school, and it stands out sharply against the local secondary landscape. Among the LA’s 36 same-type schools, the top-ranked peers are The Blue Coat School, Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, and Archbishop Blanch CofE High School. But this school is a different kind of institution entirely: a dedicated maths school with just 106 pupils on roll, compared with a capacity of 1,318, meaning it operates at a fraction of its possible size. Its headteacher is Damian Haigh, and it has no religious character. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Archbishop Blanch CofE High School, 1.6 km away, but the University of Liverpool Mathematics School’s own focus is narrow and academic, not generalist. It does not offer nursery provision and is not a boarding school, but it does have an official sixth form. For families in Liverpool looking for a highly specialised post-16 option, this school occupies a unique niche that the broader local rankings don’t fully capture.

Academically, this school is built for high achievers at A-level. In the 2023/24 results, its students achieved an average points per entry of 48.91, which translates to a grade A, and the best three A-levels averaged out at grade A as well, with 48.55 points. The proportion of students achieving AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects was 55.8%. The school’s value-added score of 0.3 is rated as ‘Above average’, with a confidence interval from 0.2 to 0.39, meaning students typically make stronger progress than similar students nationally. At KS4, the picture is minimal because the school doesn’t serve that age range — its EBacc APS of 1.37 and Attainment 8 of 20.3 are based on a tiny cohort, and all EBacc and basics percentages are zero. For context, the Liverpool LA average Progress 8 is -0.4, so this school’s sixth-form performance is well above the local norm. If your child is aiming for competitive university courses, these numbers are compelling.

The school’s facilities include science labs, an ICT suite, a library, music rooms, a sports hall, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre, plus a chapel. Sports on offer range from netball and football to gymnastics, rugby, cricket, rounders, cross country, hockey, basketball, and dance. Clubs include debate, orchestra, gardening, Young Enterprise, book club, DofE, science club, choir, drama, and Model UN — a broad enrichment programme for a small school. With only 106 pupils, the school is highly oversubscribed in terms of its actual roll versus capacity, so early application is essential. This school suits families who have a child with strong maths or science aptitude and a clear intention to study at a selective university. It is not a general sixth form; it is a specialist maths school linked to the University of Liverpool, and the data shows it delivers high-grade outcomes for those who get in.

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