Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School, Southport
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Southport. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 18th-highest of the 19 schools in Southport with published results, and 13,642nd of 14,452 across England. It was 80% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Sefton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 48% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Sefton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (55% in reading, 50% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 26 named it as one of their preferences, for 16 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School are Norwood Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 71% reading, 74% maths); Holy Family Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 63% reading, 57% maths); Churchtown Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 67% reading, 65% maths); and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School (1 mile, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School.
Norwood Primary SchoolHoly Family Catholic Primary SchoolChurchtown Primary SchoolSt Patrick's Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
44.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 46 pupils (23.7%) received SEN support and 19 (9.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 14 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Meols Cop Rail Station, about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Devonshire Road (adjacent), 350 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 80 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Sefton (165).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 5.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School are Meols Cop High School (0.9 miles) and Stanley High School (1.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at helping children become confident readers and providing a safe, welcoming environment where pupils thrive. Teachers know their pupils well and adapt learning to meet individual needs, including for those with additional needs. The school enriches learning beyond the classroom with activities like sports, music and community projects.
Key Strengths
- Almost all pupils become confident and fluent readers through a systematic phonics approach
- Teachers check what pupils know and adapt teaching to address individual gaps
- Pupils with SEND receive skilled support enabling them to access the same curriculum as peers
- Staff wellbeing is prioritized and pupils feel safe and cared for
- Pupils benefit from enriching activities including sports, choir and community involvement
Areas for Improvement
- Some newly introduced key stage 2 curriculums do not build on what pupils learned in previous years, affecting achievement
- Pupil absence rates are higher than similar schools nationally, causing pupils to miss valuable learning
- Some pupils with behavioural and emotional needs occasionally disrupt lessons
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff trained to recognize risks, strong reporting procedures in place, and partnerships with agencies to support vulnerable pupils and families.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, choir, chess, school council, playground leaders, tree planting with local groups
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is a good primary school where pupils are happy, safe and well-behaved. The school has strong early reading provision and a well-developed curriculum in most subjects, though some new key stage 2 curriculums need better planning to build on prior learning.
At a Glance
44.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 55% to 61% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 48% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 55% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.1
Avg class size
14.0
Infant (KS1)
19.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Sefton
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is in Sefton; for families living there:
- Sefton's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy ext
- How to apply: Apply for Travel Support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Sefton is 16 (the median across 116 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School.
- Sefton publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Sefton got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
168 pupils
210 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Southport
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southport
Across Sefton council
Places available
3,080
Applications
2,586
Got 1st preference
91.4%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Sefton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
46
SEN Support
19
EHC Plans
33.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 14 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
194
Total Pupils
99
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
14.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,131
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,383
Per pupil
£1213k
Total funding
£117k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
20.0%
Persistent absence
155
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 61% reached the expected standard in reading and 48% did so in maths.
What is Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Sefton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School average 18.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School has around 194 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School has a SEN unit for autism: 16 places, 14 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
6.6% of sessions were missed at Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 20% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Sefton's coordinated admissions process, naming Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Sefton is 16 (the median across 116 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School?
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School is at Devonshire Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 7BZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)