Voluntary aided school · Wirral

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

3–11Ages
185Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105087URN

Gautby Road, Bidston, Birkenhead, CH41 7DU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.3per place

0.5 below Wirral median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wirral

30 applications for 23 places · 71st of 74 in Wirral

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

73%met the expected standard

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 20 October 2022Ofsted'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

1.3applications per place, Reception

0.5 below Wirral median (1.8) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

30 applications · 23 places offered · 20 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.3; Wirral median median 1.8
2025 1.2; Wirral median median 1.7
2024 1.3; Wirral median median 1.6
2023 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2022 1.1; Wirral median median 1.6
2021 1.2; Wirral median median 1.6
2020 1.3; Wirral median median 1.6
2019 0.9; Wirral median median 1.7
2018 1.4; Wirral median median 1.8
2017 1.0; Wirral median median 1.7
2016 1.5; Wirral median median 1.8
2015 1.2; Wirral median median 1.9
2014 1.3; 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	23	30	1.3	20	0.87
Sep 2025	20	24	1.2	19	0.95
Sep 2024	15	19	1.3	14	0.93
Sep 2023	23	28	1.2	19	0.83
Sep 2022	22	24	1.1	22	1.00
Sep 2021	30	35	1.2	30	1.00
Sep 2020	19	25	1.3	18	0.95
Sep 2019	22	20	0.9	14	0.64
Sep 2018	16	23	1.4	16	1.00
Sep 2017	17	17	1.0	11	0.65
Sep 2016	22	32	1.5	22	1.00
Sep 2015	24	28	1.2	18	0.75
Sep 2014	21	27	1.3	21	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 80% · Maths 87% → all three 73% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard73%12th of 74 in Wirral

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Wirral 74% England 78%

Higher standard27%

Wirral 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Wirral 68% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Wirral 6% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Wirral 70% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Wirral 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (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	73%	0%	105	106
2023/24	71%	0%	103	104
2022/23	60%	5%	101	102

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

Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2022

1.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Bidston Avenue Primary School
0.8 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.9applications per place
Co-op Academy Portland
0.9 km · Wirral

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School
1.1 km · Wirral

2026

1.4applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
Birkenhead Sixth Form College
1.2 km · Wirral

Not yet inspected
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
1.4 km · Wirral

2026

1.2applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Manor Primary School
1.4 km · Wirral

Requires improvement2023

1.2applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School
1.6 km · Wirral

Good2022

1.5applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Park Primary School
1.8 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.6applications per place 53%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: 105087 · 344/3368
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 185 on roll
Free school meals: 81.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Gautby Road, Bidston, Birkenhead, CH41 7DU
Local authority: Wirral

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