St Peter's CofE Primary School, Newton-le-Willows
St Peter's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Newton-le-Willows. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 6 schools in Newton-le-Willows with published results, and 1,534th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to St. Helens (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
St Peter's CofE Primary School in detail
St Peter's CofE Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills that a child can draw upon and which demonstrates their cultural awareness, knowledge and competence; it is one of the key ingredients a child will draw upon to be successful in society, their career and the world of work."
From the headteacher's welcome: "St Peters C of E Primary School, Birley St, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 9UR"
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, multi-sports, chess, Lego, STEM, sewing, French and book club.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at St Peter's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 91% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in St. Helens and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 91% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Peter's CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 42 families put St Peter's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 84 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 15 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Peter's CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Peter's CofE Primary School are Newton-le-Willows Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 73% maths); St Mary's Catholic Infant Academy (0.6 miles); St Mary's Catholic Junior Academy (0.8 miles, 81% reading, 81% maths); and Wargrave CofE Primary School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, 74% reading, 74% maths).
St Peter's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Newton-le-Willows Primary SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Infant AcademySt Mary's Catholic Junior AcademyWargrave CofE Primary School
What parents say
82 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Peter's CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (78%).
Who goes there
9.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 49 pupils (21.7%) received SEN support and 6 (2.7%) 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.
Staffing
St Peter's CofE Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 25 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows Rail Station, about 390 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Golborne Street (adjacent), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Peter's CofE Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2013, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Peter's creates an inclusive, happy environment where all children thrive academically and develop into confident, well-rounded individuals. Teachers deliver high-quality lessons with careful checks on understanding, ensuring pupils master new knowledge and make strong connections to what they already know. The school goes beyond the classroom with inspiring visits and enrichment activities that spark children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional, ambitious curriculum with deep, connected knowledge across all subjects
- Exemplary behaviour and attitudes to learning, with pupils keen to attend school regularly
- Outstanding support for pupils with SEND who achieve extraordinarily well
- Excellent reading instruction from early years onwards, with high-quality literature throughout the school
- Rich personal development opportunities including debating, subject ambassadors, and enrichment activities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, chess club, science club, subject ambassadors, St Peter's Award Scheme with entrepreneurial experiences, carefully planned educational visits, breakfast club
St Peter's CofE Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils flourish academically and socially in a happy, inclusive environment built on the values of faith, hope, love and trust. The school provides an exceptional, ambitious curriculum with exemplary teaching and behaviour.
At a Glance
9.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
82 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 91% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
32.3
Avg class size
30.7
Infant (KS1)
33.5
KS2
7
Total classes
4 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 Peter's CofE Primary School
Nurseries
The Foxes is at St Peter's CofE Primary School.
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to St Peter's CofE Primary School, with their latest published grades:
- Kip McGrath Newton Le Willows - Pre-school, under 0.1 miles
- The Woodlands Nursery School (Newton) Limited - Day nursery, 0.8 milesOfsted, 24 May 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Kids Planet Linden House - Day nursery, 1.0 milesOfsted report card, 16 January 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Kids Planet Patterdale Lodge - Day nursery, 1.3 milesOfsted report card, 27 August 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Woodland Adventure Nursery - Day nursery, 1.3 milesOfsted, 26 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Peter's CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Peter's CofE Primary School is in St. Helens; for families living there:
Apply to St. Helens for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Peter's CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Peter's CofE Primary School?
For 2026 entry it had 42 first choices for 28 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
229 pupils
245 places
16 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across St. Helens council
Places available
2,180
Applications
1,809
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across St. Helens council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.5 first choices per place
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Newton Primary planning area (St. Helens) will have 352 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
49
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
24.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
226
Total Pupils
112
Boys
114
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
25.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,686
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,988
Per pupil
£1250k
Total funding
£35k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.7%
Overall absence
3.4%
Persistent absence
204
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 Peter's CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Peter's CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Peter's CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Peter's CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 91% did so in maths.
What is St Peter's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Peter's CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in December 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
Is it hard to get a place at St Peter's CofE Primary School?
St Peter's CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 245 places.
How big are the classes at St Peter's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Peter's CofE Primary School average 32.3 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to St Peter's CofE Primary School?
St Peter's CofE Primary School has around 226 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Peter's CofE Primary School?
2.7% of sessions were missed at St Peter's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 3.4% of pupils were persistently absent.
How many road collisions happen near St Peter's CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Peter's CofE Primary School?
St Peter's CofE Primary School is at Birley Street, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9UR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)