The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, Runcorn
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Runcorn. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 19th-highest of the 29 schools in Runcorn with published results, and 10,597th of 14,452 across England. It was 68% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Halton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Halton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 55% in reading and 36% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 7 families put The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 14 named it as one of their preferences, for 7 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School are Castle View Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); Halton Lodge Nursery & Primary School (0.3 miles, 72% reading, 72% maths); Woodside Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 82% reading, 91% maths); and The Brow Community Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 27% reading, 32% maths).
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Castle View Primary SchoolHalton Lodge Nursery & Primary SchoolWoodside Primary SchoolThe Brow Community Primary School
Who goes there
48% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 22 pupils (29.3%) received SEN support and 2 (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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Runcorn Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brackendale, 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 4.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School are The Grange School (0.3 miles), Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy (0.4 miles) and The Heath School (0.8 miles).
The Grange SchoolBlessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England AcademyThe Heath School
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; DfE school workforce census; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy attending school. They make everyone feel welcome. Pupils work and play together happily. They care for each other and recognise that everyone is special and unique. Pupils know that there are many trusted adults who they can turn to if they are worried or upset.
Pupils know that the school has high expectations for their achievement. Pupils are keen to learn, and they work hard in their lessons. They achieve well and build their knowledge securely over time. Pupils are encouraged to think about their aspirations for the future, for example by taking part in the Children's University programme.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has taken much care in identifying the knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject in key stages 1 and 2. Learning is ordered carefully to ensure that pupils' knowledge builds lesson by lesson. The school's thoughtful approach to curriculum design has ensured that pupils achieve well against the curriculum goals in all subjects.
In 2023, the school's published data for progress and attainment in mathematics by the end of key stage 2 was significantly below that of other schools nationally. The school identified that pupils were not able to recall important facts such as times tables quickly enough. It has made sure that this aspect of learning receives due attention in the curriculum so that pupils' mathematics knowledge is more secure.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
48.0%
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 improved from 55% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 36% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 36% to 56% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.8
Avg class size
16.0
Infant (KS1)
25.5
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
From The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School.
- Willow Kids Club910m away · Not yet graded
- S4YC @ St Mary's Preschool & Out of School Club970m away · Ofsted: Good
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School is in Halton; for families living there:
Apply to Halton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 23 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 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 The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Halton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Halton 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
68%
Available places
93 pupils
136 places
43 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Runcorn
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Runcorn
Across Halton council
Places available
1,555
Applications
1,158
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All primary applications across Halton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(13)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
32.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
75
Total Pupils
36
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
12.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,288
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,394
Per pupil
£827k
Total funding
£74k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
18.6%
Persistent absence
86
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
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
What is the catchment area for The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Halton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 136 places.
How big are the classes at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
Classes at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School average 18.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School has around 75 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
6.8% of sessions were missed at The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 18.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School 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 The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School: Willow Kids Club (910m away, registered, not yet graded) and S4YC @ St Mary's Preschool & Out of School Club (970m away, rated Good by Ofsted). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 23 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School?
The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School is at Cotterill, Halton Brook, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2NL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)