English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Liverpool. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 73rd-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School in detail
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, chess and photography.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 82% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Sefton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 73% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 57 families put English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 121 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School are St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 52% reading, 59% maths); St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 97% reading, 97% maths); St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 88% maths); and Hatton Hill Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 73% maths).
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolSt Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary SchoolSt Elizabeth's Catholic Primary SchoolHatton Hill Primary School
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (89%).
Who goes there
16.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 57 pupils (12.2%) received SEN support and 6 (1.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Seaforth & Litherland Rail Station, about 880 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Orrell Road (adjacent), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 360 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sefton (165), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School are Litherland High School (0.7 miles), King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes (0.8 miles) and The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco (0.8 miles).
Litherland High SchoolKing's Leadership Academy HawthornesThe Salesian Academy of St John Bosco
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
English Martyrs' provides an exceptional, well-organized education where children thrive both academically and personally. Staff know each pupil's needs extremely well and provide precise support, creating a calm environment where learning flourishes. Pupils are exceptionally well-behaved, deeply engaged with their learning, and develop strong knowledge of British values and respect for others.
Key Strengths
- Meticulously planned curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge, make connections between subjects, and remember their learning over time
- Highly effective approach to checking what pupils know, with staff using this information to design personalized learning
- Excellent phonics teaching that helps all pupils become confident and fluent readers
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with strong relationships and clear routines established from early years
- Broad range of clubs and opportunities to develop talents and interests in sports, music, and community work
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Competitive sports, community projects, broad range of clubs
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School provides an exceptional education where pupils thrive academically and personally in a calm, well-organized environment. Evidence suggests the school has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
16.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 65% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 60% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.9
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.1
KS2
18
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
From English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School.
- Fun 4 Kidz - English Martyrs'At the school · Not yet graded
- Fun 4 Kidz - St Elizabeth's940m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. English Martyrs' Catholic 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
- 31
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 21 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 4 on a bicycle.
11 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 English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School.
- Sefton publishes last distance offered figures, but none for English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at English Martyrs' Catholic 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
99%
Near capacity
417 pupils
420 places
3 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
57
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
13.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
467
Total Pupils
234
Boys
233
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
22.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,637
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,096
Per pupil
£2371k
Total funding
£114k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
360
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
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 82% did so in maths.
What is English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When English Martyrs' Catholic 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 English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
Classes at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School average 25.9 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School has around 467 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Sefton's coordinated admissions process, naming English Martyrs' Catholic 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 English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Fun 4 Kidz - English Martyrs' (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 21 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 4 on a bicycle. 11 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 English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School?
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School is at School Lane, Litherland, Liverpool, Merseyside, L21 7LX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)