Holy Spirit Catholic Academy, Bootle

From the headteacher's welcome: "Holy Spirit is a warm, welcoming school in the heart of Netherton."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, yoga, gardening and sewing.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care until 6:00pm.

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Spirit Catholic Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 59% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Sefton and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 52% in reading and 48% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 12 families put Holy Spirit Catholic Academy as their first choice and 35 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 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 Spirit Catholic Academy are Netherton Moss Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 83% maths); Litherland Moss Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 90% reading, 90% maths); St Oswald's Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 90% reading, 87% maths); and Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School (0.5 miles, 59% reading, 50% maths).

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy is one of 11 schools run by St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Spirit Catholic Academy (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).

67.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 55 pupils (36.4%) received SEN support and 10 (6.6%) 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.

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Old Roan Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Netherton Moss Primary School (outside), 210 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Spirit Catholic Academy 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 271 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.

In 2024/25, Holy Spirit Catholic Academy issued 4 suspensions, 2.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Holy Spirit Catholic Academy are Litherland High School (0.4 miles), The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco (0.8 miles), Chesterfield High School (1 mile) and Holy Family Catholic High School (1.5 miles).