Voluntary aided school · St. Helens

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

4–11Ages
177Pupils
PrimaryPhase
CatholicReligious character
104813URN

St Mary's School, Birchley Road, Billinge, Birchley Road, Nr Wigan, WN5 7QJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.5 above St. Helens median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in St. Helens

42 applications for 16 places · 11th of 49 in St. Helens

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

88%met the expected standard

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 19 September 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.6applications per place, Reception

0.5 above St. Helens median (2.1) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

42 applications · 16 places offered · 14 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; St. Helens median median 2.1
2025 1.9; St. Helens median median 2.0
2024 2.0; St. Helens median median 1.8
2023 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.9
2022 1.5; St. Helens median median 1.9
2021 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.6
2020 2.0; St. Helens median median 1.9
2019 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.9
2018 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.8
2017 2.0; St. Helens median median 1.8
2016 2.4; St. Helens median median 2.0
2015 2.7; St. Helens median median 2.0
2014 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.9

This school
St. Helens median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	16	42	2.6	14	0.88
Sep 2025	22	42	1.9	22	1.00
Sep 2024	22	43	2.0	22	1.00
Sep 2023	29	48	1.7	28	0.97
Sep 2022	21	32	1.5	21	1.00
Sep 2021	20	37	1.9	19	0.95
Sep 2020	24	47	2.0	24	1.00
Sep 2019	26	45	1.7	26	1.00
Sep 2018	29	49	1.7	28	0.97
Sep 2017	30	60	2.0	32	1.07
Sep 2016	26	62	2.4	25	0.96
Sep 2015	25	68	2.7	25	1.00
Sep 2014	26	58	2.2	25	0.96

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 94% · Writing 94% · Maths 94% → all three 88% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard88%1st of 52 in St. Helens

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard94%

St. Helens 76% England 78%

Higher standard56%

St. Helens 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard94%

St. Helens 76% England 75%

Greater depth16%

St. Helens 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard94%

St. Helens 75% England 77%

Higher standard44%

St. Helens 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
St. Helens median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	88%	13%	110	108
2023/24	97%	27%	110	111
2022/23	80%	17%	108	109

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

2.6applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
Billinge Chapel End Primary School
0.5 km · St. Helens

Good2023

2.4applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
St Aidan's CofE Primary School Billinge
1.2 km · St. Helens

2026

2.5applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
Carr Mill Primary School
1.4 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School
2.4 km · St. Helens

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.7applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Ashurst Primary School
2.9 km · St. Helens

2026

2.6applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Garswood Primary and Nursery School
2.9 km · St. Helens

2026

1.6applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St. Mary's Blackbrook Catholic Primary School
3.1 km · St. Helens

Good2023

2.0applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Rectory CofE Primary School
3.4 km · St. Helens

2026

2.3applications per place 27%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 104813 · 342/3450
Religious character: Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 177 on roll
Free school meals: 6.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: St Mary's School, Birchley Road, Billinge, Birchley Road, Nr Wigan, WN5 7QJ
Local authority: St. Helens

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources