Voluntary aided school · Sefton

Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School

2–11Ages
194Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
104942URN

Devonshire Road, Southport, PR9 7BZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.6 below Sefton median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Sefton

26 applications for 16 places · 63rd of 72 in Sefton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

42%met the expected standard

Sefton 59% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 18 May 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
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

1.6applications per place, Reception

0.6 below Sefton median (2.2) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

26 applications · 16 places offered · 16 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.6; Sefton median median 2.2
2025 1.4; Sefton median median 2.2
2024 1.1; Sefton median median 2.2
2023 1.5; Sefton median median 2.1
2022 1.4; Sefton median median 2.1
2021 1.3; Sefton median median 2.1
2020 1.5; Sefton median median 2.3
2019 1.4; Sefton median median 2.3
2018 1.7; Sefton median median 2.2
2017 1.8; Sefton median median 2.3
2016 1.8; Sefton median median 2.1
2015 1.5; Sefton median median 2.0
2014 1.6; Sefton median median 2.2

More applications per place than the Sefton median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Sefton 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	26	1.6	16	1.00
Sep 2025	16	23	1.4	16	1.00
Sep 2024	21	22	1.1	20	0.95
Sep 2023	13	19	1.5	12	0.92
Sep 2022	15	21	1.4	15	1.00
Sep 2021	22	28	1.3	21	0.95
Sep 2020	22	33	1.5	21	0.95
Sep 2019	22	31	1.4	20	0.91
Sep 2018	30	50	1.7	29	0.97
Sep 2017	23	42	1.8	21	0.91
Sep 2016	25	45	1.8	25	1.00
Sep 2015	30	44	1.5	29	0.97
Sep 2014	30	47	1.6	34	1.13

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 61% · Writing 55% · Maths 48% → all three 42% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard42%60th of 69 in Sefton

Sefton 59% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard61%

Sefton 76% England 78%

Higher standard13%

Sefton 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard55%

Sefton 73% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Sefton 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard48%

Sefton 75% England 77%

Higher standard6%

Sefton 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Sefton median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	42%	0%	102	100
2023/24	35%	0%	104	102
2022/23	43%	0%	103	99

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

Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

1.6applications per place 42%met the SATs standard
Norwood Primary School
1.1 km · Sefton

Remains Good2022

2.1applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
1.2 km · Sefton

Good2024

2.2applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Churchtown Primary School
1.4 km · Sefton

Good2023

2.0applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
1.6 km · Sefton

Good2024

2.3applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Larkfield Primary School
1.8 km · Sefton

Good2023

3.5applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Philip's Church of England Primary School
2.2 km · Sefton

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Southport
2.3 km · Sefton

2026

1.4applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Kew Woods Primary School
2.3 km · Sefton

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 79%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: 104942 · 343/3376
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 205 pupils · 194 on roll
Free school meals: 45.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: SEN unit
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Devonshire Road, Southport, PR9 7BZ
Local authority: Sefton

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