St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Prenton

Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 211

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~564m)Possible (~805m)Unlikely (~1.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Julie Shire
Pupils:99 / 120 capacity
LA:Wirral
Phone:01516527828
Address:Farmfield Drive, Prenton, CH43 7TE
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Needs Attention
Behaviour
Needs Attention
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Needs Attention
Early Years
Needs Attention
Inspected 6 May 2026View full report
URN:105070
UKPRN:10074961
Diocese:Diocese of Shrewsbury
Constituency:Birkenhead
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Paul's is a warm, welcoming school where every child belongs and feels cared for. The school's Catholic values create a strong sense of community, and pupils enjoy excellent enrichment opportunities including free clubs and trips that broaden their horizons. Staff know pupils well and provide strong emotional support, with particular strengths in including pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and supported
  • Inclusive approach with good support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
  • Rich personal development programme including free clubs, trips and enrichment activities
  • Caring staff who know pupils well and support their emotional wellbeing
  • Disadvantaged pupils make good progress by the end of Year 6

Areas for Improvement

  • Too few pupils develop strong reading skills, particularly in phonics by end of Year 1
  • Writing is a persistent weakness - pupils do not secure the knowledge needed to become proficient writers
  • Teachers do not correct errors in punctuation, spelling and handwriting, so mistakes repeat
  • Attendance is below national average with high persistent absence, particularly affecting pupils with SEND
  • Early Years provision does not always prepare children well enough for Year 1

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Chess (county level), football sessions, clubs, trips to London and beyond, faith and cultural events, peer support and charity leadership roles

St Paul's Catholic Primary School is a small, welcoming school with a strong Catholic character and warm community atmosphere. However, the school faces challenges in reading, writing and attendance that need to be addressed.

At a Glance

65.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+8ppMaths+23ppWriting-4pp

Reading has improved from 79% to 87%. Maths has improved from 64% to 87%. Writing has declined from 64% to 60%.

Class Sizes

16.7

Avg class size

21.0

Infant (KS1)

12.7

KS2

6

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Beechwood Drive (opp)
92m · 1 min walk
Fifth Avenue (opp)
314m · 5 min walk
Bidston Green Drive (adj)
363m · 6 min walk
Third Avenue (opp)
520m · 8 min walk
St Oswalds Avenue (adj)
593m · 10 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

83%

Available places

99 pupils

120 capacity

21 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Prenton

Low pressure
New homes approved:291
Projected new pupils:73

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Prenton

Admissions Demand - Wirral

Low demand0.76x oversubscription

Places available

3,860

Applications

2,952

Got 1st preference

96.0%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Wirral (2025/26)

Inspection History(8)

6 May 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
6 April 2022
28 March 2017

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.54793%

Overall absence

30%

Persistent absence

70

Enrolments

Authorised3.26061%
Unauthorised4.28732%
Persistent (10%+)30%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

5.49273%
18/19
5.59558%
20/21
7.29667%
21/22
9.00324%
22/23
9.96878%
23/24
7.54793%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.