Academy sponsor led · Liverpool

The Academy of St Nicholas

11–19Ages
841Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Roman Catholic/Church of EnglandReligious character
Sixth formAges 16–18
136119URN

51 Horrocks Avenue, Garston, Liverpool, L19 5NY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

0.9per place

1.5 below Liverpool median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in LiverpoolSelective

152 applications for 163 places · 28th of 30 in Liverpool

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

35.2of 90

Liverpool 40.1 England 46.0

26th of 31 in Liverpool

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 6 December 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
Sixth form 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

0.9applications per place, Year 7

1.5 below Liverpool median (2.4) 1.3 below England median (2.2)

152 applications · 163 places offered · 74 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 0.9; Liverpool median median 2.4
2025 0.8; Liverpool median median 2.7
2024 0.8; Liverpool median median 2.6
2023 0.7; Liverpool median median 2.6
2022 0.9; Liverpool median median 2.6
2021 0.9; Liverpool median median 2.2
2020 1.2; Liverpool median median 2.8
2019 1.2; Liverpool median median 2.6
2018 1.3; Liverpool median median 2.7
2017 1.2; Liverpool median median 2.4
2016 1.0; Liverpool median median 2.2
2015 1.3; Liverpool median median 2.1
2014 1.4; Liverpool median median 2.1

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

This school
Liverpool median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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	163	152	0.9	74	0.45
Sep 2025	169	138	0.8	53	0.31
Sep 2024	177	146	0.8	61	0.34
Sep 2023	184	135	0.7	65	0.35
Sep 2022	149	139	0.9	60	0.40
Sep 2021	145	136	0.9	71	0.49
Sep 2020	124	151	1.2	73	0.59
Sep 2019	107	129	1.2	67	0.63
Sep 2018	98	123	1.3	56	0.57
Sep 2017	88	102	1.2	47	0.53
Sep 2016	101	103	1.0	45	0.45
Sep 2015	129	164	1.3	89	0.69
Sep 2014	140	189	1.4	111	0.79

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

118 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)35.226th of 31 in Liverpool

Liverpool 40.1 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths21%29th of 31 in Liverpool

Liverpool 34% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths45%

Liverpool 52% England 66%

This school
Liverpool median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−1.27

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	118	35.2	21%	45%	–
2024/25	129	29.4	20%	39%	–
2023/24	114	27.8	17%	29%	−1.27
2022/23	102	30.6	18%	30%	−0.84

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

The Academy of St NicholasThis school
This school

Good2022

0.9applications per place 35.2Attainment 8
St Julie's Catholic High School
2.5 km · Liverpool

Remains Good2023

2.8applications per place 42.2Attainment 8
St Margaret's Church of England Academy
3.1 km · Liverpool

Good2024

3.1applications per place 48.7Attainment 8
St Francis Xavier's Catholic Academy
3.2 km · Liverpool

Requires improvement2021

1.8applications per place 37.8Attainment 8
Calderstones School
3.3 km · Liverpool

Good2023

5.1applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
Halewood Academy
3.5 km · Knowsley

2026

1.8applications per place 39.8Attainment 8
Liverpool College
3.8 km · Liverpool

Standards maintained2025

10.2applications per place 50.6Attainment 8
Gateacre School
4.5 km · Liverpool

Requires improvement2023

1.6applications per place 39.4Attainment 8
The Blue Coat School
4.6 km · Liverpool

Good2022

2.2applications per place 78.6Attainment 8 Selective

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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 136119 · 341/6908
Trust: The Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of England Academies Trust
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic/Church of England
Capacity: 1,080 pupils · 841 on roll
Free school meals: 50.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2010
Address: 51 Horrocks Avenue, Garston, Liverpool, L19 5NY
Local authority: Liverpool

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