Smithdown Primary School, Liverpool

Outstanding
Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~349m)Possible (~499m)Unlikely (~649m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Philip Horne
Pupils:484 / 450 capacity
LA:Liverpool
Phone:01517096229
Address:Chatsworth Drive, Liverpool, L7 6LJ
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 1998

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Early Years
Strong Standard
Inspected 27 January 2026View full report
URN:131597
UKPRN:10075238
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Liverpool Wavertree
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Smithdown Primary is a genuinely inclusive school where every child is known, valued and supported. Staff build warm relationships with pupils and work hard to remove barriers to learning, meaning all children - including those with additional needs - can access the full curriculum. The school places a strong emphasis on wellbeing and personal development, helping pupils grow into respectful, confident members of their community.

Key Strengths

  • Excellent safeguarding culture with clear systems and staff accountability
  • Strong inclusive practice - targeted support for pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, and those learning English as an additional language
  • Well-planned personal development curriculum with enrichment experiences that build respect and diversity understanding
  • High-quality early years provision with skilled staff and parent partnerships
  • Calm, orderly behaviour and positive relationships throughout the school

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing skills are inconsistent across subjects - pupils not always applying spelling, handwriting and sentence skills accurately
  • Some teaching in a few subjects does not build effectively on prior learning, limiting pupils' understanding over time
  • Persistent absence remains higher for some pupils with SEND despite early intervention
  • National test results at key stage 2 have not consistently met expected standards

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, helping pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Sport, dance, music clubs

Smithdown Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive school where pupils feel safe, valued and supported. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and have created a calm, respectful culture with strong pastoral care.

At a Glance

54.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+8ppMaths-13ppWriting-6pp

Reading has improved from 65% to 73%. Maths has declined from 81% to 68%. Writing has declined from 63% to 57%.

Class Sizes

30.6

Avg class size

30.2

Infant (KS1)

31.0

KS2

12

Total classes

5 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Edge Hill Rail Station (Entrance)
432m · 7 min walk

Bus Stops

Widney Close (opp)
118m · 2 min walk
Lorton Street (adj)
140m · 2 min walk
Commerce Way (opp)
166m · 3 min walk
Keystone Close (adj)
211m · 3 min walk
Yanwath Street (adj)
213m · 3 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

108%

Over capacity

484 pupils

450 capacity

34 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool

High pressure
New homes approved:8,038
Projected new pupils:2,010

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Liverpool

Admissions Demand - Liverpool

Low demand0.80x oversubscription

Places available

6,140

Applications

4,934

Got 1st preference

89.7%

Got preferred school

97.4%

Primary admissions across Liverpool (2025/26)

Inspection History(9)

27 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
29 September 2021
OutstandingReport
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsOutstanding
1 May 2018

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.29268%

Overall absence

13.17829%

Persistent absence

387

Enrolments

Authorised3.72317%
Unauthorised1.56951%
Persistent (10%+)13.17829%
Severe (50%+)0.5168%

Absence trend

3.30292%
18/19
3.37927%
20/21
5.45551%
21/22
6.52832%
22/23
5.75248%
23/24
5.29268%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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