St Columba's Catholic Primary School, Liverpool
St Columba's Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Liverpool. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 147th-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 12,330th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Knowsley (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Columba's Catholic Primary School in detail
St Columba's Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "There are times when every parent needs a bit of support, but it’s particularly difficult being a parent at present. Knowsley Family Learning Service has a team of experienced parenting support workers who are available to give advice and suggestions to help parents manage their children’s behaviour and anxieties during this difficult time."
The school runs 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 56% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Knowsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 54% in reading and 58% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Columba's Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put St Columba's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 55 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Columba's Catholic Primary School are Knowsley Lane Primary School (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 75% reading, 86% maths); St Aidan's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 72% reading, 52% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 87% maths); and St Aloysius Catholic Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 84% maths).
St Columba's Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Knowsley Lane Primary SchoolSt Aidan's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolSt Aloysius Catholic Primary School
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Columba's Catholic Primary School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (79%).
Who goes there
48.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (10.3%) received SEN support and 10 (4.5%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Huyton Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hillside Avenue (adjacent), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Columba's Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Columba's Catholic Primary School issued 33 suspensions, 14.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Columba's Catholic Primary School are Lord Derby Academy (1 mile) and The Prescot School (1.2 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a calm, welcoming school where children thrive academically and emotionally. The school excels at helping all pupils succeed, particularly those with SEND, through carefully chosen teaching activities and individual support. Pupils develop excellent personal skills, confidence and respect for others through a rich programme of enrichment activities.
Key Strengths
- Excellent personal development opportunities with a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and pupil roles
- Strong support for pupils with SEND, helping them overcome learning obstacles
- Effective behaviour and self-discipline among pupils who are cooperative and considerate
- Improved teaching of reading with pupils becoming fluent, enthusiastic readers
- Early years provision that helps children settle well and gain confidence for future learning
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils do not always retain essential knowledge from previous learning, affecting new learning
- Year 6 reading results in 2024 were well below national average due to pandemic-related gaps
- Pupil attendance remains too low despite recent improvements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders keeping a close eye on support for vulnerable pupils including those with SEND.
Extracurricular Activities
Extra-curricular clubs, gardening, first aid training, librarian roles, healthy food exploration with external specialists
St Columba's Catholic Primary School is a very happy school where pupils thrive in a safe environment and achieve well. The school has established an ambitious curriculum with particular strength in personal development.
At a Glance
48.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 54% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 56% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 63% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.9
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
28.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Columba's Catholic Primary School
June/July Newsletter 2026
20 Jul 2026
Rainbow Day
23 Jun 2026
CAFOD Workshops
22 Jun 2026
May Newsletter 2026
11 Jun 2026
St Columba Day
9 Jun 2026
First Holy Communion May 2026
29 May 2026
From St Columba's Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Columba's Catholic Primary School.
- Raring Stars - St Columba's PrimaryAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Columba's Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Knowsley's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Columba's Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Columba's Catholic Primary School is in Knowsley; for families living there:
Apply to Knowsley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 28
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 22 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 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 Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 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 St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Columba's Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Columba's Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Columba's Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Columba's Catholic Primary School.
- Knowsley publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Columba's Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Columba's Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Knowsley 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
98%
Near capacity
205 pupils
210 places
5 spare places 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 Knowsley council
Places available
2,085
Applications
1,953
Got 1st preference
86.6%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All primary applications across Knowsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
14.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
224
Total Pupils
125
Boys
99
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,647
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,697
Per pupil
£1628k
Total funding
£183k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.5%
Overall absence
26.5%
Persistent absence
181
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
St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Columba's Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Columba's Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 56% did so in maths.
What is St Columba's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Columba's Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Knowsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Columba's Catholic Primary School average 27.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School has around 224 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
9.5% of sessions were missed at St Columba's Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 26.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Knowsley's coordinated admissions process, naming St Columba's Catholic 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.
Does St Columba's Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Raring Stars - St Columba's Primary (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 22 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 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 Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Columba's Catholic Primary School?
St Columba's Catholic Primary School is at Hillside Road, Huyton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 8BL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)