St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Widnes
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Widnes. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 19 schools in Widnes with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School in detail
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We strive for our school to be a happy place where all children learn in a safe and secure environment. We are committed to developing the talents and skills of every child to enable them to achieve the best that they can. We also wish to nurture their spiritual and personal development so that they become caring and responsible citizens."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Halton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 82% in reading and 85% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put St John Fisher Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 49 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School are Moorfield Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 97% reading, 94% maths); Fairfield Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 80% maths); St Bede's Catholic Infant School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); and St Bede's Catholic Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 71% reading, 77% maths).
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Moorfield Primary SchoolFairfield Primary SchoolSt Bede's Catholic Infant SchoolSt Bede's Catholic Junior School
Who goes there
2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Widnes Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Warrington Road, 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St John Fisher Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School are Wade Deacon High School (1.1 miles) and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School (1.3 miles).
Wade Deacon High SchoolSaints Peter and Paul 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 2013, 12 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
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
32.8%
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 82% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 85% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 76% to 70% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
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 St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Newsletter 18th Sept 2026
18 Sep 2026
Newsletter 11th Sept 2026
11 Sep 2026
Newsletter 7th September 2026
7 Sep 2026
Newsletter 17th July 2026
17 Jul 2026
Newsletter 17th July 2026 Y6
17 Jul 2026
Newsletter 10th July 2026
10 Jul 2026
From St John Fisher Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John Fisher 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
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
3 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John Fisher Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John Fisher Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John Fisher 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 John Fisher 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
97%
Near capacity
203 pupils
210 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Widnes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Widnes
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
25.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
114
Boys
90
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,092
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,817
Per pupil
£1334k
Total funding
£97k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
12.8%
Persistent absence
179
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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St John Fisher Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is St John Fisher Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St John Fisher 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School average 29.1 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School has around 204 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 12.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming St John Fisher 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 3 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School is at Edward Street, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0BW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)