School Chooser

Blacklow Brow School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy235 pupilsNurseryLiverpoolKnowsley
School Chooser Score
92
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 82 to 96
Out of 100. Better than 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1186%England 63%
Attendance95.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families13%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend95%59 Parent View responses
Places1 spare235 pupils, 236 places

Blacklow Brow School is a sponsored academy in Liverpool for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 235 pupils and room for 236. About 13 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 92 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Blacklow Brow School, Tarbock Road, Huyton, Liverpool, L36 5XW0151 477 8010blacklowbrowschool.co.ukMr Damian Kenny headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 20 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Strong
Achievement
Strong
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Strong
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Strong
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Strong
Early years
Strong
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
13 October 2021Academy First Section 5Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

29 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1186%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level14%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score111.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score108.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 72%72%20172018: 70%70%20182019: 57%57%20192023: 83%83%20232024: 77%77%20242025: 86%86%2025
Since 2017: +14%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†KnowsleyEngland
Pupils tested293030302729
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths86%77%83%57%70%72%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths14%3%7%10%11%3%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score111.0106.0110.0104.0106.0106.0105.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score108.0104.0109.0105.0103.0103.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0104.0106.0105.0106.0105.0104.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard97%83%97%67%85%86%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard100%90%97%73%70%79%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)86%83%90%80%85%90%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.6+1.7-0.3-1.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+4.0+2.5-3.1-3.0
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged71%33%30%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged78%63%95%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Blacklow Brow Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
77%94%
Gap 17 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full207 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
99% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 620 m away in 2026, 620 m away in 2025. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 620 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3012930620 mLA
2025 Primary3012930620 mLA

The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.

What a home within 620 m of the school costs

Typical sale price within 620 m of the school£255,000half sold for £210k to £300k
Homes sold129December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+29%a typical home in the district sells for £197,000

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

What parents say

Would recommend the school95%England 87%
My child is happy here98%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe100%
Positive overall86%
My child is happy at this school
98%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
100%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
98%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
3% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
100%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
90%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
15% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
78%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
86%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
75%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
90%England 82%
I would recommend this school
95%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
86%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 59 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll235Census January 2026
Places236100% full
Pupils from low-income families13%13% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support7%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.48 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)14%£44,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls111 / 124
White British pupils94%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (8), emotional and mental health (5), language and communications needs (4), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3), Moderate learning difficulty (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll235232234233233222
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals13%15%18%16%12%13%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%2%2%2%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support9%6%4%4%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%0%0%0%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.2%4.4%4.3%4.6%1.9%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence1.9%1.5%2.4%2.0%0.4%3.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.2%2.9%1.8%2.6%1.6%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.8%8.3%5.6%7.8%1.2%6.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers10.4full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher22.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants9.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,865
Teachers who left in the year24%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher22.12024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,751England £7,128. Total £1.5m
Income per pupil£6,236England £7,587. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,817England £3,405
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £77k, £338 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£118kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,751spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m16812 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate70 per 1,000 people23% lower than the England average
Typical house price£195,000Knowsley
Nearest bus stop60 mMarina Crescent, 11 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic90 m334Report card 202627Compare
Huyton With Roby Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy760 m379Report card 202649Compare
Sylvester Primary AcademyAcademy0.6 miles294Not inspected37Compare
St Aloysius Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.8 miles346No overall grade 202575Compare
St Gabriel's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles216Good 202429Compare
Park View AcademyAcademy0.9 miles375Good 202440Compare
St Aidan's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic1.0 miles220Report card 20266Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic1.0 miles202Outstanding 202390Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Blacklow Brow School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats94%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 92 is 29 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 21 · middle 63 · highest 98100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 92 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 92% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 82 to 96. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%above
+0.16
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 29 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.20
Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.15
DfE progress measure; 29 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.07
2024/25; 180 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.13
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 29 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.03
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 59 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Blacklow Brow School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Blacklow Brow School scores 92 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 94% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 82 to 96, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Blacklow Brow School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 20 January 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.

How good are Blacklow Brow School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 86% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 14% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Blacklow Brow School have?

235 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 236 places, so it is 100% full.

Is Blacklow Brow School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 620 m away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Blacklow Brow School?

Pupils were in school 95.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Blacklow Brow School?

95% of the 59 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 98% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Blacklow Brow School?

The average class had 29.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Blacklow Brow School, Tarbock Road, Huyton, Liverpool, L36 5XW
Telephone
0151 477 8010
Website
blacklowbrowschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr Damian Kenny
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The Dean Trust (11 schools)
Local authority
Knowsley
Ward
Roby
Constituency
Knowsley
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2017 (new provision)
URN
144355 · LAESTAB 3402006 · UKPRN 10064748
Formerly
Blacklow Brow Primary School

Where these figures come from