Community school · Wirral

Cathcart Street Primary School

2–11Ages
213Pupils
PrimaryPhase
105048URN

Dover Close, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 3JY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jul 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.3 below Wirral median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wirral

43 applications for 29 places · 63rd of 74 in Wirral

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

26%met the expected standard

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 7 July 2026Published 23 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Needs attention
Inclusion		Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching		Needs attention
Achievement		Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Needs attention
Early years		Needs attention
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Needs attention

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

7 July 2026
Report card · 7 Needs attention
26 March 2024
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

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

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.3 below Wirral median (1.8) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

43 applications · 29 places offered · 26 named it first

2026 1.5; Wirral median median 1.8
2025 1.4; Wirral median median 1.7
2024 1.1; Wirral median median 1.6
2023 1.4; Wirral median median 1.6
2022 1.4; Wirral median median 1.6
2021 1.3; Wirral median median 1.6
2020 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2019 1.4; Wirral median median 1.7
2018 1.5; Wirral median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Wirral median median 1.7
2016 1.5; Wirral median median 1.8
2015 1.7; Wirral median median 1.9
2014 1.8; Wirral median median 1.9

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

This school
Wirral 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	29	43	1.5	26	0.90
Sep 2025	22	31	1.4	22	1.00
Sep 2024	29	33	1.1	25	0.86
Sep 2023	29	41	1.4	28	0.97
Sep 2022	28	40	1.4	24	0.86
Sep 2021	30	38	1.3	29	0.97
Sep 2020	30	36	1.2	26	0.87
Sep 2019	30	43	1.4	28	0.93
Sep 2018	29	42	1.5	28	0.97
Sep 2017	30	42	1.4	30	1.00
Sep 2016	30	46	1.5	31	1.03
Sep 2015	30	50	1.7	30	1.00
Sep 2014	29	52	1.8	32	1.10

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 55% · Writing 48% · Maths 32% → all three 26% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard26%73rd of 74 in Wirral

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard55%

Wirral 74% England 78%

Higher standard10%

Wirral 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard48%

Wirral 68% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Wirral 6% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard32%

Wirral 70% England 77%

Higher standard3%

Wirral 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 95 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Wirral median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	26%	0%	100	95
2023/24	31%	0%	100	96
2022/23	23%	0%	99	95

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

Cathcart Street Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.5applications per place 26%met the SATs standard
The Priory Parish CofE Primary School
0.3 km · Wirral

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Woodlands Primary School
1.0 km · Wirral

2026

1.4applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.8applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School
1.2 km · Wirral

Good2022

1.5applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School
1.2 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.9applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Kingsway Primary School
1.7 km · Wirral

2026

1.8applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Co-op Academy Portland
1.8 km · Wirral

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Birkenhead Sixth Form College
1.8 km · Wirral

Not yet inspected

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: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105048 · 344/2261
Capacity: 274 pupils · 213 on roll
Free school meals: 81.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Dover Close, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 3JY
Local authority: Wirral

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources