Melling Primary School, Liverpool
Melling Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Liverpool. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 33rd-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 3,694th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- 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
Melling Primary School in detail
Melling Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At the heart of everything we do is our simple but powerful motto: "Be the best that you can be." We believe that every child is unique, with their own talents, strengths and aspirations. Our role is to nurture, inspire and challenge each child so they can grow into confident, resilient and successful learners who are ready for the future."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Melling Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 91% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Sefton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 93% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Melling Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 46 families put Melling Primary School as their first choice and 82 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 16 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Melling Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Melling Primary School are Westvale Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 69% reading, 69% maths); St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 66% reading, 71% maths); Millbrook Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 68% maths); and Kirkby CofE Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 69% reading, 74% maths).
Melling Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Westvale Primary SchoolSt Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary SchoolMillbrook Community Primary SchoolKirkby CofE Primary School
Who goes there
12.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kirkby Rail Station, about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mount Road (n-bound), 160 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Melling Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Melling Primary School are All Saints Catholic High School (1.1 miles), Kirkby High School (1.4 miles), Dixons Fazakerley Academy (1.5 miles) and Maricourt Catholic High School (1.7 miles).
All Saints Catholic High SchoolKirkby High SchoolDixons Fazakerley AcademyMaricourt Catholic High School
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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from October 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Melling Primary School creates a welcoming community where your child will feel valued and safe. The school has high expectations for all pupils and provides excellent support for those who need it, whether through extra help with reading or specialist SEND support. Your child will benefit from a thoughtfully designed curriculum, positive behaviour management, and plenty of opportunities to develop confidence and resilience.
Key Strengths
- Pupils demonstrate excellent behaviour and respect for each other as part of 'The Melling Way' - they have impeccable manners and willingly help around school
- Strong reading provision with pupils reading a wide range of books and most becoming fluent readers over time
- Effective support for pupils with SEND who are identified quickly and receive specialist support when needed
- Well-designed curriculum that is relevant and meaningful to pupils, helping them know and remember more
- Positive personal development with pupils understanding how to look after their physical and mental health
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff have not received up-to-date phonics training, which hinders their ability to address pupils' misconceptions in reading lessons
- In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly defined the essential knowledge that should be taught, so pupils do not develop deep enough understanding
- Inconsistent curriculum planning in some subjects means teachers are less sure about what to teach
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - pupils understand how to keep themselves safe including online safety and recognising signs of grooming, and leaders ensure all staff receive up-to-date training.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential trips, sports teams, extra-curricular clubs and activities
Melling Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils treat each other with respect and are happy and safe. Leaders have high expectations for every pupil, including those with SEND, which contributes to strong achievement.
At a Glance
12.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 80% to 59% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.3
Avg class size
30.5
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
3
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Melling Primary School
NEWSLETTER 2nd OCTOBER 2026
2 Oct 2026
NEWSLETTER 21st SEPTEMBER 2026
21 Sep 2026
NEWSLETTER 16TH JULY 2026
16 Jul 2026
NEWSLETTER 3RD JULY 2026
3 Jul 2026
NEWSLETTER 3RD JULY 2026
3 Jul 2026
NEWSLETTER 5th JUNE 2026
5 Jun 2026
From Melling Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Melling Primary School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Melling Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Melling 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
- 1
- 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, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Melling Primary School
Will you get a place at Melling Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Melling Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Melling Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Melling Primary School.
- Sefton publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Melling Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Melling 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
213 pupils
210 places
3 pupils over capacity 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: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
16.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
110
Boys
102
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,160
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,230
Per pupil
£1244k
Total funding
£47k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
12.4%
Persistent absence
186
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
Questions parents ask about Melling Primary School
What are SATs results like at Melling Primary School?
Of the pupils at Melling Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 91% did so in maths.
What is Melling Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Melling Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Melling Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Melling 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 Melling Primary School?
Melling Primary School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Melling Primary School?
Classes at Melling Primary School average 30.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Melling Primary School?
Melling Primary School has around 212 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Melling Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Melling Primary School in 2024/25. 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Melling Primary School?
Apply through Sefton's coordinated admissions process, naming Melling 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.
How many road collisions happen near Melling 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, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Melling Primary School?
Melling Primary School is at Wheeler Drive, Melling, Liverpool, Merseyside, L31 1DA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)