School Chooser

Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedRoman Catholic178 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubRuncornHalton
School Chooser Score
77
Above
similar schools
Likely range 56 to 89, so it could be “well above”
Out of 100. Better than 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, May 2026
Reached the expected level at 1172%England 63%
Attendance94.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families52%Far more than most schools
Places32 spare178 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher18.5School workforce census

Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in Runcorn for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 178 pupils and room for 210. About 52 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 77 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in May 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Lapwing Grove, Palacefields, Runcorn, WA7 2TP01928 711921ourladysruncorn.halton.sch.ukMrs Michelle Kewn headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 May 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”
As expected
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
19 January 2022UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1172%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 68%68%20172018: 79%79%20182019: 73%73%20192023: 81%81%20232024: 74%74%20242025: 72%72%2025
Since 2017: +4%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017HaltonEngland
Pupils tested323427302931
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths72%74%81%73%79%68%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%9%0%3%0%3%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0108.0107.0104.0106.0104.0104.7105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0106.0102.0104.0103.0103.1104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0105.0106.0108.0107.0107.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%85%85%83%97%74%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard72%82%85%83%86%84%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%82%81%83%83%77%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.1+1.7+3.8+3.1
Maths progressMaths progress score+3.0-1.0+1.8+1.6
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged65%56%72%67%64%64%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged83%89%100%78%89%71%

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.

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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
65%83%
Gap 18 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
67%79%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%3%
Gap 3 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. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places196 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
93% full

About 14 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have grown by 3% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

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. Every child who applied got a place (25 offers for 30 places).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30263425all offeredLA
2024 Primary30142814all offeredLA

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 roll178Census January 2026
Places21085% full
Pupils from low-income families52%52% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English5%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support28%49 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size23.25 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)51%£142,600 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls85 / 93
White British pupils88%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 17.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (32), emotional and mental health (10), Other difficulty or disability (5), Multi-sensory impairment (2), Physical disability (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll178192204187183190
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals52%54%54%55%49%48%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language5%3%3%3%1%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support19%20%25%24%26%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%2%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school14.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.52024/25, 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 absence5.7%6.1%5.9%6.3%4.0%5.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.6%3.8%4.1%4.7%2.6%3.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.2%2.3%1.9%1.6%1.4%1.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence14.7%17.4%15.0%20.7%6.9%13.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.51.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.6full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher18.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants11.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,771
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.62024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£8,076England £7,738. Total £1.6m
Income per pupil£8,603England £7,697. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,366England £3,480
Money in reserve19%A healthy amount put by: £315k, £1,642 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£101kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,076spent 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 m29512 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate91 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£190,000Halton
Nearest bus stop190 mPalacefields, 12 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
Palace Fields Primary AcademyAcademy160 m127Not inspected38Compare
Brookvale Primary SchoolCouncil660 m209Good 202429Compare
Hallwood Park Primary School and NurseryAcademy940 m83Inadequate 202214Compare
Hillview Primary SchoolCouncil0.7 miles168Good 202344Compare
St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy0.7 miles184Not inspected36Compare
Beechwood Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles151Not inspected61Compare
Murdishaw West Primary and Nursery SchoolCouncil0.9 miles139Good 202325Compare
Woodside Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles116Good 202274Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats96%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 77 is 43 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 35 · highest 88100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 47 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Castle View Primary SchoolCouncil1.1 miles176Good 202288Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 77 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 77% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 56 to 89. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. 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%in line
+0.00
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 32 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.17
Ofsted report card, 0.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.13
DfE progress measure; 32 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.07
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.04
2024/25; 184 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.16
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 32 pupils
What parents say0%no data

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 Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School scores 77 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 56 to 89, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 May 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as strong.

How good are Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 72% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School have?

178 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 85% full.

Is Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 14 places were empty in 2024/25 (7% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 15% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 23.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Lapwing Grove, Palacefields, Runcorn, WA7 2TP
Telephone
01928 711921
Website
www.ourladysruncorn.halton.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Michelle Kewn
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Shrewsbury
Local authority
Halton
Ward
Halton Lea
Constituency
Runcorn and Helsby
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
111378 · LAESTAB 8763632 · UKPRN 10070184

Where these figures come from