School Chooser

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey

Primary · ages 2-11MixedRoman Catholic168 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubWallaseyWirral
School Chooser Score
21
Below
similar schools
Likely range 10 to 43
Out of 100. Better than 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, October 2024
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance93.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families61%Far more than most schools
Places117 spare168 pupils, 285 places
Pupils per teacher16.7School workforce census

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in Wallasey for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 168 pupils and room for 285. About 61 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 21 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, CH44 7ED0151 638 3919stjosephs-wallasey.wirral.sch.uk/websiteMrs Maria Hollis headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 October 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1157%
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 score104.0
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: 27%27%20172018: 57%57%20182019: 42%42%20192023: 36%36%20232024: 46%46%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: +30%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WirralEngland
Pupils tested232628312830
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%46%36%42%57%27%57%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%3%4%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0102.0102.099.0102.098.0104.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0100.0100.0101.0102.098.0103.5104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0102.0101.0100.0102.0102.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%54%54%48%61%37%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard70%58%57%65%79%40%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)57%50%54%58%68%47%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.5-4.4-1.8-1.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-3.9-2.8-0.4-1.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged58%38%24%36%48%23%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged55%60%55%56%86%38%

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
58%55%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
69%40%
Gap 29 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.

Plenty of spare places152 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
72% full

58 places were empty (28% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 18% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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 Wirral council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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 roll168Census January 2026
Places28559% full
Pupils from low-income families61%61% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English12%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%34 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size19.88 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)59%£134,075 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls87 / 81
White British pupils83%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 16.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 21.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (20), emotional and mental health (6), Moderate learning difficulty (5), Other difficulty or disability (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll168181204207219226
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals61%55%38%48%48%49%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language12%12%14%7%7%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support24%21%35%26%33%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%1%0%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school12.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.12024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.6%8.6%8.7%9.4%5.4%7.6%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%5.4%5.1%6.2%3.2%4.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.7%3.2%3.6%3.1%2.2%3.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence12.9%26.4%29.8%34.5%14.1%27.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.11.52.92.32.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.4full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher16.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£55,335
Teachers who left in the year10%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher13.72024/25

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£9,202England £7,738. Total £1.5m
Income per pupil£8,855England £7,697. Total £1.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,486England £3,480
Money in reserve-2%In the red: -£27k, -£164 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£58kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,202spent 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 m99712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate152 per 1,000 people67% higher than the England average
Typical house price£218,000Wirral
Nearest bus stop50 mNaples Road, 19 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
Kingsway Primary SchoolCouncil370 m151Report card 20261Compare
Riverside Primary SchoolCouncil400 m251Good 202319Compare
Somerville Primary SchoolCouncil440 m379Good 202326Compare
Egremont Primary SchoolAcademy660 m275Report card 202639Compare
Park Primary SchoolCouncil0.9 miles401Good 202331Compare
St Alban's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy0.9 miles196No overall grade 2024Compare
Liscard Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles704Good 202354Compare
Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic1.1 miles436Good 20227Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats67%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 21 is 8 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 13 · highest 90100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 21 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 21% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 10 to 43. 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%below
-0.24
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 23 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.09
Ofsted grade, 1.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%well below
-0.31
DfE progress measure; 23 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.06
2024/25; 140 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 23 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 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey a good school?

The figures are weak. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey scores 21 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 10 to 43, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey not judged at its last full inspection on 8 October 2024.

How good are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 57% 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 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey have?

168 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 285 places, so it is 59% full.

Is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey oversubscribed?

Probably not. 58 places were empty in 2024/25 (28% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey?

Pupils were in school 93.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 13% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey?

The average class had 19.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey 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
Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, CH44 7ED
Telephone
0151 638 3919
Website
www.stjosephs-wallasey.wirral.sch.uk/website
Headteacher
Mrs Maria Hollis
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 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Shrewsbury
Local authority
Wirral
Ward
Seacombe
Constituency
Wallasey
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
105073 · LAESTAB 3443333 · UKPRN 10074958

Where these figures come from