St John Plessington Catholic College, Wirral

From the headteacher's welcome: "Thank you for taking an interest in St John Plessington Catholic College. It is my great privilege to serve as Headteacher of this very special school. SJP is a thriving, inclusive Catholic community in which every person is known, valued and encouraged to fulfil their God-given potential."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, basketball, badminton, dance, drama, choir, eco club and art.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026 and an open evening on Thursday 11 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at St John Plessington Catholic College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in Wirral and 47 across England.

32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in Wirral and 47% in England.

That is up from 37.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.35: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 30.8, against 44.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 13.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 195 families put St John Plessington Catholic College as their first choice and 460 named it as one of their preferences, for 207 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St John Plessington Catholic College are Co-op Academy Bebington (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.3); Wirral Grammar School for Girls (0.8 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 70.9); Wirral Grammar School for Boys (0.8 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 68.2); and Prenton High School for Girls (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 40.8).

St John Plessington Catholic College's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

St John Plessington Catholic College is one of 9 schools run by Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 269 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 115 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 26% into work. 7% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

39.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 153 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 73 (4.7%) 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.

St John Plessington Catholic College has a resourced provision for autism: 24 places, 12 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Bebington Rail Station, about 290 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Plessington Lower School (ne-bound), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 252 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wirral (155), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St John Plessington Catholic College issued 292 suspensions, 18.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St John Plessington Catholic College are St John's Catholic Infant School (under 0.1 miles), St John's Catholic Junior School (0.1 miles), St Andrew's CofE Primary School (0.2 miles) and Grove Street Primary School (0.3 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.