St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead, Prenton
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Prenton, part of Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 7 schools in Prenton with published results, and 4,824th of 14,452 across England. It was 70% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (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 Wirral (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead in detail
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead in its own words
In its own words: "As a Catholic School, Christ is at the center of all we do. Our curriculum, Mission Statement, values and beliefs all flow from this center point of God, so that the children grow, learn, achieve and develop spiritually as well as academically. Please click here to see our school Mission Statement."
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of everybody at St. Joseph’s I would like to extend to you a very warm welcome. At St Joseph’s, everything we do is rooted in our Catholic beliefs; at our heart is our Mission to live the words of Jesus - ‘To Love One Another’."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, tennis and choir.
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 73% and 69% in Wirral and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 84% in reading and 50% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead as their first choice and 74 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead are Devonshire Park Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 68% maths); Woodchurch Road Academy (0.3 miles, 74% reading, 72% maths); Oxton St Saviour's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles); and Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 67% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Devonshire Park Primary SchoolWoodchurch Road AcademyOxton St Saviour's CofE Primary SchoolBirkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School
The trust
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead is one of 9 schools run by Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
In 2026, 23 pupils (9.7%) received SEN support and 7 (3%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Green Lane Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gorsefield Road (adjacent), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 376 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting 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
In 2024/25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead are Prenton High School for Girls (0.8 miles), Birkenhead High School Academy (0.9 miles), Birkenhead Park School (1 mile) and St Anselm's College (1 mile).
Prenton High School for GirlsBirkenhead High School AcademyBirkenhead Park SchoolSt Anselm's College
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
18.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 50% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 63% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
28.3
Infant (KS1)
31.0
KS2
7
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead.
- Firbobs@St Joseph'sAt the school · Not yet graded
- Tennis Vision Holiday Club (PPS)470m away · Not yet graded
- Tennis Vision Holiday Club690m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead is an academy, 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
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead 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
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
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What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Wirral, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead for 2019 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
70%
Available places
265 pupils
378 places
113 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Prenton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Prenton
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
12.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
237
Total Pupils
124
Boys
113
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
16.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,741
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,427
Per pupil
£1570k
Total funding
£68k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
14.9%
Persistent absence
242
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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2017 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead 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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead was not full in 2025: it ran at 70% of its 378 places.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead average 29.9 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead has around 237 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
5.7% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead in 2024/25. 14.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
Apply through Wirral's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead 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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Firbobs@St Joseph's (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead is at Woodchurch Road, Oxton, Prenton, Merseyside, CH43 5UT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)