St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery, Liverpool
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Liverpool. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 120th-highest of the 177 schools in Liverpool with published results, and 10,716th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.6 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
- Demand
- 1.6 first choices per place
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Liverpool (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery in detail
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, athletics, cross-country, choir and book club.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 70% in Liverpool and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 48 families put St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 73 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.6 first choices for every place. 18 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery are Phoenix Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 45% reading, 27% maths); Kensington Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 68% reading, 51% maths); St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Good, 97% reading, 90% maths); and New Park Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 66% reading, 64% maths).
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Phoenix Primary SchoolKensington Primary SchoolSt Cuthbert's Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolNew Park Primary School
What parents say
66 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (82%).
Who goes there
36.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (44%), Black (18%) and Mixed (13%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Edge Hill Rail Station, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Laurel Road (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 736 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, drug offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Liverpool (342), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery are The Academy of St Francis of Assisi (0.5 miles), Marydale Lodge Sch (0.6 miles), King's Leadership Academy Wavertree (0.6 miles) and Archbishop Blanch CofE High School (0.8 miles).
The Academy of St Francis of AssisiMarydale Lodge SchKing's Leadership Academy WavertreeArchbishop Blanch CofE High School
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; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2015, 11 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 December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a welcoming school where children develop positive learning habits from the early years onwards. Staff know each child well and provide caring support, ensuring all pupils - including those with additional needs - feel valued and achieve well. The school has made reading a real priority, with expert staff spotting any children who need extra help and providing effective support.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with daily phonics lessons and effective support for pupils who fall behind
- Caring relationships and high expectations help all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well
- Well-behaved pupils who are kind to each other and take on leadership roles like 'active play leaders' and 'buddies'
- Effective action to improve pupil attendance, with improving results
- Calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school with clear behaviour expectations
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, the essential knowledge pupils need to learn has not been identified clearly enough, making it harder for teachers to plan lessons and check understanding
- Governing body lacks strong oversight of education quality and does not challenge the school rigorously enough to support improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that prioritises pupil safety and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, choir, drama clubs, board games clubs, community volunteering with local care homes, charity fundraising, before and after-school clubs
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is a caring school where pupils feel happy and supported by staff. The school has made strong progress in prioritising reading and curriculum development, though some subjects need clearer definition of essential knowledge.
At a Glance
31.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
66 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 declined from 87% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 81% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 90% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
8
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
St Sebastian's Mission Launch: 02.10.2026
2 Oct 2026
MacMillan Coffee Morning: 25.09.2026
25 Sep 2026
Archdiocesan Acadmisation Strategy : 15.09.2026
15 Sep 2026
Education Sunday : 13.09.2026
11 Sep 2026
KS2 Annual Cross-Country Fun Run : 09.09.2026
9 Sep 2026
In Loving Memory of HARRISON HANLEY
30 Apr 2026
From St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Term dates
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Liverpool's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is in Liverpool; for families living there:
- Liverpool's school travel policy: this document : Home to School Transport Policy 2026-27
- How to apply: Apply for a travel pass
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 64
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 64 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 48 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 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 Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Liverpool, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Liverpool 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
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity 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 Liverpool council
Places available
5,870
Applications
4,736
Got 1st preference
88.6%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All primary applications across Liverpool council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.6 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
45
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
22.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
238
Total Pupils
117
Boys
121
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
21.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,663
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,993
Per pupil
£1441k
Total funding
£112k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
15.0%
Persistent absence
187
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 Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery average 29.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery has around 238 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
5.5% of sessions were missed at St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 15% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 64 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 16 serious and 48 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery?
St Sebastian's Catholic Primary School and Nursery is at Holly Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L7 0LH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)