St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School, Liverpool
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Liverpool. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 20th-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. It was 86% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Capacity
- 86% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School in detail
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School in its own words
In its own words: "Little Leigh Primary School is proud to be part of the Create Learning Trust"
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Knowsley and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (85% in reading, 84% in maths).
Getting a place at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School
Across Knowsley, 87% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 96% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Knowsley lodged 55 appeals against primary school offers; 37 reached a hearing and 4 succeeded (10.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School are St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Malvern Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 88% reading, 90% maths); Dovecot Primary School (0.4 miles, Requires improvement, 33% reading, 38% maths); and Roby Park Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 88% reading, 72% maths).
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infant SchoolMalvern Primary SchoolDovecot Primary SchoolRoby Park Primary School
Who goes there
37.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 12.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Asian (11%).
In 2026, 95 pupils (20.8%) received SEN support and 32 (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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Broad Green Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Adcote Road (adjacent), 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School issued 44 suspensions, 9.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School are Broughton Hall Catholic High School (0.7 miles), Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (0.8 miles) and Dixons Broadgreen Academy (1 mile).
Broughton Hall Catholic High SchoolCardinal Heenan Catholic High SchoolDixons Broadgreen Academy
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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from December 2014, 11 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
From Ofsted's March 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a caring school where children feel valued and safe. Teachers have high expectations and use clever strategies to help all pupils learn well, including those who find reading or learning challenging. The school offers lots of interesting experiences through clubs and enrichment activities that help pupils discover new talents.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that builds knowledge logically across subjects
- Teachers use effective strategies to check pupil understanding and address misconceptions quickly
- Strong focus on reading with engaging classroom libraries and daily story time
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, identified quickly with timely help from external agencies
- Innovative personal development programme focusing on safety, health and well-being
Areas for Improvement
- Insufficient decodable books available for pupils learning to read, meaning some struggling readers are not catching up quickly enough
- Small number of pupils at early stages of reading need more regular practice with books matching their phonics knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture prioritising pupils' safety and well-being.
Extracurricular Activities
After-school clubs, performances, 'Spotlight' talent discovery programme, reading ambassador roles, breakfast club, after-school club
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School continues to be a good school where pupils are happy, well-behaved and achieve well across a range of subjects. The school has an ambitious curriculum with reading at its heart and strong support systems for all learners.
At a Glance
37.4%
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 remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 84% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 79% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
28.6
KS2
16
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 Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School.
- Bloom Huyton490m away · Not yet graded
- Kids in Bloom Out Of School Club Limited490m away · Ofsted: Good
- Roby Rainbows940m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Knowsley's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School is in Knowsley; for families living there:
Apply to Knowsley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 14 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 3 on a bicycle.
9 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 Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
463 pupils
537 places
74 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
Across Knowsley council
Places available
2,085
Applications
1,953
Got 1st preference
86.6%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All primary applications across Knowsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
95
SEN Support
32
EHC Plans
27.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
457
Total Pupils
209
Boys
248
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,431
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,568
Per pupil
£2964k
Total funding
£261k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
14.7%
Persistent absence
475
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 Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School
Questions parents ask about St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School
What are SATs results like at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Of the pupils at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School is oversubscribed, Knowsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 86% of its 537 places.
How big are the classes at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Classes at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School average 28.6 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 Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School has around 457 pupils on roll. 37% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School in 2024/25. 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Apply through Knowsley's coordinated admissions process, naming St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School: Bloom Huyton (490m away, registered, not yet graded), Kids in Bloom Out Of School Club Limited (490m away, rated Good by Ofsted) and Roby Rainbows (940m 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 Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 14 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 3 on a bicycle. 9 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 Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School?
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School is at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School, Pilch Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L14 0JG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)