The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco
Bootle, L30 2NA · Sefton · secondary school
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18th of 18 secondary schools in Sefton 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 293 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 | 9 | 35% | 0.32 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 17.1 · 2 | 30% | 0.06 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -1.0 · 3 | 25% | 0.07 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 34.2 · 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.
The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 18.7% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 32.2, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -1.0 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 (0.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.3 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted inspected the school in February 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Getting in
The published school roll is 575 pupils against a stated capacity of 600. 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 attainment and the national median? What specific steps are taken to improve progress scores for students starting from lower baselines? How does the new Ofsted framework influence your current teaching priorities?
What Ofsted said about The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco
Overview
The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco is a relatively new school undergoing a "steady journey of improvement" under stable leadership. While culture, behaviour, and inclusion have improved significantly, academic achievement and attendance remain below expected standards due to historic weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching.
Strengths
- Leaders have created an "open culture" where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, ensuring pupils "feel safe".
- Staff are "effusive in their praise of leaders" and feel "valued and well supported" by a carefully designed professional development programme.
- Behaviour has improved markedly, with pupils embodying the value of respect; incidents of bullying are "rare" and suspensions have reduced.
- Inclusion processes have strengthened, with leaders adapting extra-curricular offers to better engage girls with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
- Pupils are "happy and proud to attend this school" and benefit from "consistently high-quality pastoral support".
Areas to improve
- Teachers must respond appropriately to assessment data to adapt teaching, ensuring pupils "remember their learning over time" and close gaps in literacy and mathematics.
- Leaders need to replicate attendance successes seen in younger pupils with older students, who currently exhibit "entrenched poor attendance".
- The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum requires clearer identification of key knowledge so pupils can securely learn about British values and the judiciary.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where concerns are actively identified, acted upon, and managed.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 31.1 |
| 2024/25 | 32.2 |
| 2025/26 | 34.2 |
| 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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