Academy sponsor led · Wirral

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead

4–11Ages
237Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
146088URN

Woodchurch Road, Oxton, Prenton, CH43 5UT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2022 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.0per place

1.2 above Wirral median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Wirral

74 applications for 25 places · 3rd of 74 in Wirral

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

68%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 · 1 November 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

3.0applications per place, Reception

1.2 above Wirral median (1.8) 0.8 above England median (2.2)

74 applications · 25 places offered · 23 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.0; Wirral median median 1.8
2025 2.0; Wirral median median 1.7
2024 1.8; Wirral median median 1.6
2023 1.7; Wirral median median 1.6
2022 1.6; Wirral median median 1.6
2021 1.6; Wirral median median 1.6
2020 1.4; Wirral median median 1.6
2019 1.6; Wirral median median 1.7
2018 1.3; Wirral median median 1.8; as the previous school
2017 1.7; Wirral median median 1.7; as the previous school
2016 1.6; Wirral median median 1.8; as the previous school
2015 1.6; Wirral median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 2.0; Wirral median median 1.9; as the previous school

This school
Wirral median

Dashed bars: as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead (URN 105092), the previous school.

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	25	74	3.0	23	0.92
Sep 2025	30	60	2.0	37	1.23
Sep 2024	24	42	1.8	22	0.92
Sep 2023	30	52	1.7	33	1.10
Sep 2022	22	35	1.6	21	0.95
Sep 2021	34	53	1.6	33	0.97
Sep 2020	37	53	1.4	32	0.86
Sep 2019	42	67	1.6	39	0.93
Sep 2018 *	44	58	1.3	37	0.84
Sep 2017 *	40	67	1.7	33	0.83
Sep 2016 *	57	89	1.6	49	0.86
Sep 2015 *	57	91	1.6	47	0.82
Sep 2014 *	60	122	2.0	65	1.08

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 86% · Writing 74% · Maths 78% → all three 68% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard68%19th of 74 in Wirral

Wirral 56% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard86%

Wirral 74% England 78%

Higher standard38%

Wirral 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard74%

Wirral 68% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Wirral 6% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard78%

Wirral 70% England 77%

Higher standard24%

Wirral 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	68%	8%	108	105
2023/24	41%	0%	105	101
2022/23	46%	2%	104	100

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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School, BirkenheadThis school
This school

Good2022

3.0applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Devonshire Park Primary School
0.4 km · Wirral

Standards maintained2024

2.1applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Woodchurch Road Academy
0.4 km · Wirral

2025

2.2applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Oxton St Saviour's CofE Primary School
0.7 km · Wirral

Some aspects not as strong2024

2.8applications per place
Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School
1.0 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.9applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Mersey Park Primary School
1.1 km · Wirral

Standards maintained2025

1.7applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School
1.3 km · Wirral

Good2023

1.8applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Bedford Drive Primary School
1.3 km · Wirral

Good2022

2.1applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Prenton Primary School
1.3 km · Wirral

2026

1.5applications 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: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 146088 · 344/2004
Trust: Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 420 pupils · 237 on roll
Free school meals: 18.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 July 2018
Replaced: St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead (URN 105092)
Address: Woodchurch Road, Oxton, Prenton, CH43 5UT
Local authority: Wirral

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