St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community

Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Roman Catholic · Nursery class

Lickers Lane, Whiston, Prescot, L35 3SR

0151 477 8410 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 23 January 2018; confirmed 2023
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths74%England 62% · 2024/25
6th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 75% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils229Room for 261 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 192 in 2019, 229 in 2021, 225 in 2022, 223 in 2023, 211 in 2024, 219 in 2025, 229 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.035 for 35 places, September 2026
Joint 3rd highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 52% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 23 January 2018.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 22 March 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

23 pupils in this year group.

74% — 13 points above the Knowsley average, and 12 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolKnowsleyEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 74% 61% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 4% 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 83% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 74% 70% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 83% 74% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 106 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 107 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
50% 60% 70% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 73%This school 2023/24: 60%This school 2024/25: 74% This school England 62% 2022/23 73% 2023/24 60% 2024/25 74%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Knowsley. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered35
Families who put it first35
Of those, offered a place35 (100%)
Families who listed it at all45

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 0.9 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

This is a Roman Catholic school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.

Admissions dates and schools in Knowsley

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolKnowsleyEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
3rd highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 84% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
43.6% 40.9%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
13th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 24% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
1.8% 4.3%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
5th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 72% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
17.8% 17.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 50% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
9.6% 9.0%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
7th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Lower than 34% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
5.6% 6.5%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
9th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Lower than 24% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
16.9% 19.6%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
12th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Lower than 38% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
1.8 2.0 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
13th lowest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Lower than 29% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
1.4% 0.9% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.01% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
7th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 53% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
20.9 21.1 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
Joint 9th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 42% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
10.3 10.3 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 10th highest of 14 state primary schools in Prescot.
Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
0.0% 11.1%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community's Ofsted rating?

St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 23 January 2018. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 22 March 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 74% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 12 points above the England average of 62%.

Is St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 35 families put St Leo's and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community as their first choice for 35 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 35 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.