St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Wallasey, CH45 3LN · Wirral · secondary school
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18th of 20 secondary schools in Wirral we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 0.5/10 against 398 of them, against 0.3/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 13 | 35% | 0.47 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 18.5 · 3 | 30% | 0.08 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.99 · 3 | 25% | 0.07 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 34.0 · 4 | 10% | 0.04 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 17.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 33.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.99 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (0.4 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.3 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted inspected the school in January 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Bible Club, Chess Club, Debate Team, Maths Club, Spoken Word, and STEM Group. Sports include athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, fitness, football, judo, and netball. Arts and music options comprise the choir, house drama, and music lessons. Both a breakfast club and an after-school club are available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,073 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,300. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current
What Ofsted said about St Mary's Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy
Overview
The report describes St Mary's Catholic College as a "caring and welcoming school" where leaders are determined to improve every aspect of provision. While safeguarding standards are met and behaviour is improving, the report notes that pupils "do not achieve as well as they should" in national examinations compared to national expectations. Leaders are actively addressing these gaps through targeted support and curriculum adjustments.
Strengths
- Safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture" where concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed."
- Attendance and punctuality are improving, with leaders using insights to address barriers for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.
- The curriculum is "ambitious" and "well-planned," with teachers having "secure subject knowledge" and delivering lessons effectively.
- Pupils feel safe, with bullying described as "rare" and staff taking "swift action" when it occurs.
- Staff are "proud to work at the school" and feel valued, with leaders mindful of workload and wellbeing.
Areas to improve
- Leaders must ensure checks to identify learning gaps are used "consistently well across the school" to address misconceptions quickly.
- Leaders must ensure all pupils develop appropriate knowledge and skills to "achieve as well as they should in national examinations."
- Actions to improve attendance must be "embedded and sustained" so that attendance continues to improve for all pupils.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, meaning leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 29.3 |
| 2024/25 | 33.2 |
| 2025/26 | 34.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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