School Chooser

Merchant Taylors' Schools

Independent · ages 4-18MixedIndependent (grammar)844 pupilsSixth formLiverpoolSefton
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Strong pass in English and maths0%England 46%
Places506 spare844 pupils, 1,350 places
Average A level gradeB-2024/25
Pupils on roll844Census January 2024

Merchant Taylors' Schools is an independent school in Liverpool for boys and girls aged 4 to 18. It has 844 pupils and room for 1,350.

186 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 0QP0151 928 3308merchanttaylors.comMr Philip Dearden headteacherAll details

Inspection

This private school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, not Ofsted. Its reports are at isi.net.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

125 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score21.4
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths0%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths0%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 48.248.220182019: 46.346.320192022: 45.045.020222023: 42.942.920232024: 44.444.420242025: 21.421.42025
Since 2018: -26.8
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018SeftonEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 111256684639081
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 821.444.442.945.046.348.243.346.8
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%39%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%60%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score1.342.902.682.873.073.313.744.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry0%0%0%0%0%0%39%41%

Subjects

Results came out for 15 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

German100%grades 9 to 5, England 63%
History81%grades 9 to 5, England 52%
Computer Science83%grades 9 to 5, England 56%
Design & Technology77%grades 9 to 5, England 50%
What is taught hereOffers 3 languages, computer science, classics.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
77%England 54%
79%England 58%
Biology45 entries
84%England 82%
History37 entries
81%England 52%
77%England 50%
Spanish22 entries
77%England 54%
Geography20 entries
75%England 51%
78%England 56%
83%England 56%
German15 entries
100%England 63%
French14 entries
86%England 60%
Art and Design13 entries
100%England 58%
Business11 entries
73%England 51%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
English Language6232%77%95%54%
English Literature6125%79%89%58%
Biology4547%84%87%82%
History3741%81%92%52%
Design & Technology3142%77%87%50%
Spanish2241%77%77%54%
Geography2055%75%90%51%
Physical Education1861%78%89%56%
Computer Science1828%83%94%56%
German1560%100%100%63%
French1479%86%93%60%
Art and Design1354%100%100%58%
Business1155%73%91%51%
Classical Civilisation729%86%100%58%
Religious Studies667%100%100%60%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

51 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB-38.0 points per entry
A level progress+0.46Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better27%with two subjects universities favour
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students51517671144159
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry37.9533.5236.7142.9840.6840.71
Average A level gradeB-C+B-B+BB
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS37.8533.2637.2543.1838.5343.18
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects27%22%20%44%34%43%
A level progressA level value added+0.46-0.08+0.44+0.18

A level subjects

10 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

Economics71%A* to B, England 57% · 24 entries
Physics63%A* to B, England 51% · 16 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics29Economics24Chemistry19Physics16Biology14Geography7Mathematics (Further)7History6Business Studies6Government and Politics5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics29 entries · 52% A* or A · 93% passed
66%England 60%
Economics24 entries · 21% A* or A · 100% passed
71%England 57%
Chemistry19 entries · 26% A* or A · 95% passed
58%England 53%
Physics16 entries · 50% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 51%
Biology14 entries · 7% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 49%
Geography7 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
43%England 51%
Mathematics (Further)7 entries · 57% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 76%
History6 entries · 33% A* or A · 100% passed
83%England 55%
Business Studies6 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
17%England 47%
Government and Politics5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 55%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Getting a place

Grammar school. This is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Sefton council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll844Census January 2024
Places1,35063% full
Pupils from low-income familiesGet free school meals
Pupils getting extra support32%270 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%6 pupils with a plan
Boys and girls442 / 402
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll844371457603579613
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals0%0%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support39%26%22%20%19%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%0%0%0%0%

What pupils do next

After sixth form

Where the 76 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training84%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training84%89%88%
Education68%77%78%
Apprenticeship3%1%0%
Work13%10%10%
Not in education, work or training5%6%4%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m19312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate69 per 1,000 people24% lower than the England average
Typical house price£227,000Sefton
Nearest bus stop130 mMarldon Avenue, 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 schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sacred Heart Catholic AcademyAcademy380 m613No overall grade 20249Compare
St. Mary's CollegeIndependent520 m818Not inspectedCompare
Olsen House SchoolIndependent590 m59Not inspectedCompare
Waterloo Primary SchoolAcademy620 m416Good 202216Compare
Great Crosby Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic790 m725Good 202331Compare
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England790 m191Good 202342Compare
St Edmund's and St Thomas' Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy820 m246Good 202339Compare
St Luke's Halsall Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England0.7 miles234Good 202468Compare

Questions parents ask

Is Merchant Taylors' Schools a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Merchant Taylors' Schools yet.

How good are Merchant Taylors' Schools's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 21.4, against 46.8 for England.

How many pupils does Merchant Taylors' Schools have?

844 pupils aged 4 to 18 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 1,350 places, so it is 63% full.

Does Merchant Taylors' Schools have an entrance exam?

Yes. It is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test, usually sat in September of Year 6. Check the school's admissions page for the test dates and the pass mark.

Does Merchant Taylors' Schools have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B-. 10 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

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

Contact and details

Address
186 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 0QP
Telephone
0151 928 3308
Website
www.merchanttaylors.com
Headteacher
Mr Philip Dearden
Type of school
Independent school (Other independent school, independent schools)
Phase
Independent school, ages 4-18, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Local authority
Sefton
Ward
Victoria
Constituency
Bootle
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
30 September 1980
URN
104973 · LAESTAB 3436129 · UKPRN 10008378

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from