School Chooser

Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic204 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubBootleSefton
School Chooser Score
1
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 0 to 2
Out of 100. Better than 0% of the 50 schools most like it.
OfstedRequires improvementLast Ofsted inspection, April 2022
Reached the expected level at 1132%England 63%
Attendance91.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families49%Far more than most schools
Places6 spare204 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher24.8School workforce census

Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School is a converter academy in Bootle for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 204 pupils and room for 210. About 49 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 1 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 0% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2022.

Stand Park avenue, Netherton, Bootle, L30 3SA0151 525 6358olwcatholicprimary.orgMs Collette Simms headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 26 April 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Requires improvement overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Requires improvement
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Early years
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1132%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score99.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score98.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 72%72%20172018: 64%64%20182019: 52%52%20192023: 25%25%20232024: 26%26%20242025: 32%32%2025
Since 2017: -40%
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024†2023†2019†2018†2017†SeftonEngland
Pupils tested222728272925
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths32%26%25%52%64%72%59%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%11%0%4%5%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score99.0101.0100.0103.0104.0105.0105.0105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score98.098.098.0103.0105.0103.0103.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score99.0100.0100.0103.0106.0105.0104.9105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard59%52%43%67%76%80%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard50%37%50%70%79%88%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)50%52%36%78%76%72%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.8-1.7-1.6-0.6
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.2-1.4-0.6-2.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged22%14%21%37%53%54%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged38%38%29%88%82%92%

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 Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2024. 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. 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
22%38%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
22%38%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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 places179 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
85% full

About 31 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up.

Will my child get a place?

In 2024 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 2024. Every child who applied got a place (29 offers for 30 places).

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2024 Primary303729all offeredLA
2023 Primary303225all 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 roll204Census January 2026
Places21097% full
Pupils from low-income families49%49% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English8%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support21%42 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan8%16 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.79 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils22%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)49%£137,950 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls99 / 105
White British pupils82%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (30), Autistic spectrum disorder (10), emotional and mental health (10), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4), Physical disability (2), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census20262025
Pupils on roll204201
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals49%48%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language8%10%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance91.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school23.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/24†2022/23†2021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.1%7.0%6.6%6.3%4.4%6.9%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.0%4.9%3.9%4.1%3.1%4.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.1%2.1%2.6%2.2%1.3%2.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence23.5%22.0%19.5%22.0%12.7%18.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions0

† These attendance figures are for Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.0full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher24.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,075
Teachers who left in the year22%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher20.72024/25

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£8,497England £7,128. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£8,749England £7,587. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,169England £3,405
Money in reserve-3%In the red: -£48k, -£248 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£49kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,497spent 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 m22712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate129 per 1,000 people42% higher than the England average
Typical house price£227,000Sefton
Nearest bus stop140 mStand Park Avenue, 16 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 Oswald's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England550 m223Good 202258Compare
Netherton Moss Primary SchoolCouncil780 m223No overall grade 202511Compare
Holy Spirit Catholic AcademyAcademy820 m151No overall grade 202418Compare
Litherland Moss Primary SchoolAcademy850 m208Good 202372Compare
St Benedict's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic0.8 miles231Good 202363Compare
The Grange Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles288Good 20233Compare
St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic1.1 miles236Outstanding 202498Compare
St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England1.2 miles197Report card 20267Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats0%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 1 is 34 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 34 · highest 97100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Our Lady of Walsingham 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
Ravenscroft Community Primary SchoolCouncil3.6 miles218No overall grade 20247Compare
St Gabriel's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy7.8 miles216Good 202429Compare
St Mary and St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England8.2 miles230Good 202325Compare
Yew Tree Primary AcademyAcademy9.9 miles226Good 20237Compare
St Theresa's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic11.2 miles209Report card 202650Compare
Castle View Primary SchoolCouncil15.0 miles176Good 202288Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 1 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 1% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 0 to 2. 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%well below
-0.35
2025 results; 22 pupils
Ofsted inspection17% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)well below
-0.55
Ofsted grade, 4.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.45
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 22 pupils
Direction of travel over five years0%no data
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.19
2024/25; 162 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.22
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 22 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 of Walsingham Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School scores 1 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 0% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 0 to 2, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School requires improvement at its last full inspection on 26 April 2022. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 32% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School have?

204 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 97% full.

Is Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 31 places were empty in 2024/25 (15% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School?

Pupils were in school 91.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 23% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School?

The average class had 22.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 22% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Our Lady of Walsingham 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
Stand Park avenue, Netherton, Bootle, L30 3SA
Telephone
0151 525 6358
Website
www.olwcatholicprimary.org
Headteacher
Ms Collette Simms
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
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Liverpool
Multi-academy trust
Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust (7 schools)
Local authority
Sefton
Ward
Netherton and Orrell
Constituency
Bootle
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2024 (academy converter)
URN
151111 · LAESTAB 3433383 · UKPRN 10095840
Formerly
Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School

Where these figures come from