St John's Catholic Infant School, Wirral
St John's Catholic Infant School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Wirral. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. It was 98% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- 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 Wirral (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St John's Catholic Infant School in detail
St John's Catholic Infant School in its own words
In its own words: "“ Sometimes we forget to listen to our own hearts. And it’s in our hearts that God speaks to us, that God calls us and invites us to know him better and to live in his love."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am extremely proud to be Headteacher and I am delighted to welcome you to our wonderful school. I feel so proud to be able to continue the excellent work of our school, keeping the children at the heart of all that we do."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at St John's Catholic Infant School
For September 2026 entry, 47 families put St John's Catholic Infant School as their first choice and 88 named it as one of their preferences, for 49 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 John's Catholic Infant School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John's Catholic Infant School are St John's Catholic Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 59% reading, 50% maths); St Andrew's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles); Grove Street Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 41% reading, 38% maths); and St Anne's Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 84% reading, 77% maths).
St John's Catholic Junior SchoolSt Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolGrove Street Primary SchoolSt Anne's Catholic Primary School
Who goes there
3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 8 pupils (4.2%) received SEN support and 5 (2.6%) 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 Bebington Rail Station, about 420 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is College Drive (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 262 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
St John's Catholic Infant School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John's Catholic Infant School are St John Plessington Catholic College (under 0.1 miles), Co-op Academy Bebington (0.6 miles), Wirral Grammar School for Girls (0.8 miles) and Wirral Grammar School for Boys (0.8 miles).
St John Plessington Catholic CollegeCo-op Academy BebingtonWirral Grammar School for GirlsWirral Grammar School for Boys
Sources: 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St John's creates a warm, caring environment where children are genuinely happy and eager to learn. The school excels at teaching reading through systematic phonics, and pupils develop exemplary behaviour and mature attitudes from a young age. Enriching experiences like trips, outdoor learning and community involvement help children flourish beyond the classroom.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and attitudes towards learning from early years onwards
- Strong phonics teaching resulting in confident, fluent readers by end of Year 2
- Well-designed curriculum ordered logically to build on prior knowledge
- Effective support for pupils with SEND and those needing to catch up
- Excellent pupil attendance and punctuality rates
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff do not consistently design learning activities that help pupils reach greater depth of understanding
- Pupils receiving SEND support are not always placed on the SEND register, which may affect transition to next schools
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Coding clubs, judo, French clubs, trips to local historical towns, outdoor learning activities
St John's Catholic Infant School is rated Good overall, with outstanding behaviour and attitudes. Pupils enjoy attending the school and consistently meet high expectations set by staff.
At a Glance
24.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
28.5
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St John's Catholic Infant School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St John's Catholic Infant School.
- Stagecoach Wirral St Johns160m away · Not yet graded
- Every Lesson Counts250m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St John's Catholic Infant School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Wirral's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John's Catholic Infant School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John's Catholic Infant School is in Wirral; for families living there:
Apply to Wirral for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
4 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 Wirral is 15 (the median across 136 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's Catholic Infant School
Will you get a place at St John's Catholic Infant School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John's Catholic Infant School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John's Catholic Infant School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John's Catholic Infant School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wirral, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John's Catholic Infant School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Wirral 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
177 pupils
180 places
3 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wirral
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wirral
Across Wirral council
Places available
3,820
Applications
3,017
Got 1st preference
95.3%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Wirral council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
8
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
6.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
86
Boys
103
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,558
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,503
Per pupil
£1091k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
6.0%
Persistent absence
116
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
Questions parents ask about St John's Catholic Infant School
What is St John's Catholic Infant School's Ofsted rating?
St John's Catholic Infant School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2008 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St John's Catholic Infant School?
No fixed boundary. When St John's Catholic Infant School is oversubscribed, Wirral allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St John's Catholic Infant School?
St John's Catholic Infant School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St John's Catholic Infant School?
Classes at St John's Catholic Infant School average 28.5 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 John's Catholic Infant School?
St John's Catholic Infant School has around 189 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John's Catholic Infant School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at St John's Catholic Infant School in 2024/25. 6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John's Catholic Infant School?
Apply through Wirral's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's Catholic Infant 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 John's Catholic Infant School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St John's Catholic Infant School: Stagecoach Wirral St Johns (160m away, registered, not yet graded) and Every Lesson Counts (250m away, 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 John's Catholic Infant School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 4 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 Wirral is 15 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St John's Catholic Infant School?
St John's Catholic Infant School is at Old Chester Road, Bebington, Wirral, Merseyside, CH63 7LH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)