Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, St Helens

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Holy Cross Catholic Primary School on 7 areas: 4 expected standard and 3 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders take swift and effective action to reduce absence levels."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have ensured that children in the early years benefit from an effective curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Supporting pupils to be included and valued as part of the school community has been at the forefront of leaders' work since joining the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences beyond the academic curriculum."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Published results show that pupils' outcomes in national tests have been significantly below national averages in most areas over the last 3 years."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Staff do not address pupils' misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge consistently well enough before they move on to new learning."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Over time, governors have not provided sufficient challenge or support to improve the quality of education for pupils at the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that staff receive the necessary professional learning to support them to draw on their knowledge of pupils' starting points and individual needs to design and adapt learning so that pupils are supported to learn all that they can. • Leaders should take appropriate action to ensure that those pupils who have not secured the necessary foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics receive appropriate support to secure this knowledge, so that pupils' achievement is improved. • Those responsible for governance should ensure that they gain the skills and expertise required to provide constructive and effective support and challenge to hold leaders to account to improve the school's educational offer for pupils".

In its own words: "Our Mission Statement places this aim at the centre of all we hope to achieve… Together with Jesus as our role model, we are a happy, nurturing, welcoming community. All are dedicated to supporting, valuing and encouraging each other. We love one another as Jesus taught us."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 56% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in St. Helens and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 72% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 10 families put Holy Cross Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 26 named it as one of their preferences, for 12 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School are Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding, 67% reading, 77% maths); St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 83% maths); Merton Bank Primary School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 41% reading, 45% maths); and Allanson Street Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 72% reading, 72% maths).

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Cross Catholic Primary School (as of April 2026): 92% would recommend the school and 100% say their child is happy there.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (83%).

33.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 30.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (54%), Black (17%) and Asian (17%).

In 2026, 32 pupils (16.2%) received SEN support and 12 (6.1%) 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.

The nearest railway station is St Helens Central Rail Station, about 300 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

23 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hollingsworth Court (adjacent), 20 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Cross Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 533 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in St. Helens (144), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School issued 19 suspensions, 9.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School are Cowley International College (1 mile), St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy (1.1 miles), St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy (1.5 miles) and De La Salle School (1.5 miles).