Sherdley Primary School, St Helens
Sherdley Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in St Helens. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 21st-highest of the 36 schools in St Helens with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to St. Helens (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sherdley Primary School in detail
Sherdley Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Mission Statement: To inspire children to achieve their true potential in a happy and safe environment"
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Sherdley Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in St. Helens and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Sherdley Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 53 families put Sherdley Primary School as their first choice and 138 named it as one of their preferences, for 57 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Sherdley Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sherdley Primary School are Eaves Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Willow Tree Primary School (0.5 miles, 85% reading, 73% maths); St Anne's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 54% reading, 50% maths); and St Theresa's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 76% reading, 90% maths).
Sherdley Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Eaves Primary SchoolWillow Tree Primary SchoolSt Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Theresa's Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
6.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lea Green Rail Station, about 380 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Severn Close (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sherdley Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Sherdley Primary School are The Sutton Academy (0.5 miles) and St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy (1.3 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; 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 July 2017, 9 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 January 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Sherdley is a friendly, caring school where children feel safe and happy. Reading is celebrated and woven throughout the curriculum, with pupils reading with real enthusiasm. The school has high expectations for all pupils including those with additional needs, and offers valuable opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles and develop as well-rounded individuals.
Key Strengths
- Strong pastoral support with swift action on bullying and respectful pupil attitudes
- Reading is central to the curriculum with engaging displays and phonics taught from the start
- Ambitious curriculum for all pupils including those with SEND, enriched by use of local area
- Pupils take on valued leadership roles and enjoy a range of after-school clubs
- Effective safeguarding with meticulous record-keeping and regular staff training
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent implementation of strategies to support struggling readers across the school
- In some subjects, the most important concepts are not emphasised well enough for pupils to build on prior learning
- Attendance and punctuality issues for a small number of pupils affecting their progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders resolute in keeping pupils safe, meticulous record-keeping, and strong engagement with families and external agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, after-school clubs, visit to Houses of Parliament
Sherdley Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils thrive in a friendly, safe environment and respond well to high expectations for learning and behaviour.
At a Glance
17.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 65% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
26.5
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
15
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Sherdley Primary School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sherdley Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sherdley Primary School is in St. Helens; for families living there:
Apply to St. Helens for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 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 Sherdley Primary School
Will you get a place at Sherdley Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sherdley Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sherdley Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sherdley Primary School.
- St. Helens publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Sherdley Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Sherdley Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in St. Helens 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
94%
Near capacity
394 pupils
420 places
26 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - St Helens
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Helens
Across St. Helens council
Places available
2,180
Applications
1,809
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across St. Helens council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
55
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
16.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
429
Total Pupils
213
Boys
216
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
20.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,233
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,342
Per pupil
£2366k
Total funding
£148k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.2%
Overall absence
13.7%
Persistent absence
350
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
Sherdley Primary School
Questions parents ask about Sherdley Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sherdley Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sherdley Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Sherdley Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sherdley Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Sherdley Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sherdley Primary School is oversubscribed, St. Helens allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Sherdley Primary School?
Sherdley Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Sherdley Primary School?
Classes at Sherdley Primary School average 27.9 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 Sherdley Primary School?
Sherdley Primary School has around 429 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sherdley Primary School?
5.2% of sessions were missed at Sherdley Primary School in 2024/25. 13.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sherdley Primary School?
Apply through St. Helens's coordinated admissions process, naming Sherdley 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 Sherdley Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sherdley Primary School?
Sherdley Primary School is at Mill Lane, Sutton, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 4HA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)