St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Runcorn
St Edward's Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Runcorn. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 23rd-highest of the 29 schools in Runcorn with published results, and 12,253rd of 14,452 across England. It was 84% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Halton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Edward's Catholic Primary School in detail
St Edward's Catholic Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a privilege to be the headteacher at such a wonderful school, full of happy, well-behaved children, who I can see are a joy to teach."
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at St Edward's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 53% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Halton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 81% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Edward's Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put St Edward's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 28 named it as one of their preferences, for 16 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Edward's Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Edward's Catholic Primary School are Runcorn All Saints CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 75% reading, 58% maths); Victoria Road Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 74% reading, 71% maths); Widnes Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 65% reading, 61% maths); and St Clement's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths).
St Edward's Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Runcorn All Saints CofE Primary SchoolVictoria Road Primary SchoolWidnes AcademySt Clement's Catholic Primary School
What parents say
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Edward's Catholic Primary School (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
10.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%) and Mixed (14%).
In 2026, 18 pupils (17%) received SEN support and 1 (0.9%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Runcorn Rail Station, about 1100 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is PICTON AVENUE, 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Edward's Catholic Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Edward's Catholic Primary School are The Grange School (0.6 miles) and The Heath 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Edward's is an ambitious school that has made real improvements since its last inspection. The school excels at teaching reading through a well-delivered phonics programme and provides excellent support for pupils with special needs. Teachers build strong relationships with pupils, helping them feel happy and safe whilst supporting their academic progress across the curriculum.
Key Strengths
- Strong teaching of phonics with well-trained staff delivering the programme consistently, helping many pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 2
- Effective support for pupils with SEND through well-chosen resources and timely intervention
- High expectations of behaviour with a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school
- Comprehensive curriculum that carefully considers the important knowledge pupils should learn across mixed-age classes
- Good pastoral support that helps pupils feel happy, safe and confident
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge from previous curriculum weaknesses in foundation subjects that have not yet been identified and addressed
- Need to ensure teachers can swiftly identify and remedy knowledge gaps so pupils build stronger foundations for future learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders maintaining a strong focus on pupil safety and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Crafts club, athletics club, cooking club, school chickens care, breakfast club
St Edward's Catholic Primary School is an ambitious school that has worked diligently to develop its curriculum since the last inspection. The school is committed to helping all pupils, including those with special needs, achieve well academically and socially.
At a Glance
28.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 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 declined from 81% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 75% to 53% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 75% to 47% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.5
Avg class size
4
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 St Edward's Catholic Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Edward's Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Edward's Catholic Primary School is in Halton; for families living there:
Apply to Halton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 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 Edward's Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Edward's Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Edward's Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Edward's Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Edward's Catholic Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Halton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Edward's Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Halton 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
84%
Available places
118 pupils
140 places
22 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Runcorn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Runcorn
Across Halton council
Places available
1,555
Applications
1,158
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All primary applications across Halton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
18
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
17.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
106
Total Pupils
49
Boys
57
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
15.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,568
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,314
Per pupil
£828k
Total funding
£42k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
12.4%
Persistent absence
97
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 Edward's Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Edward's Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Edward's Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 53% did so in maths.
What is St Edward's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Edward's Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Edward's Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Halton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
St Edward's Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 84% of its 140 places.
How big are the classes at St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Edward's Catholic Primary School average 26.5 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 St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
St Edward's Catholic Primary School has around 106 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at St Edward's Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming St Edward'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.
How many road collisions happen near St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Edward's Catholic Primary School?
St Edward's Catholic Primary School is at Wivern Place, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1RZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)