SchoolScoresIndependent school guide

The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed · Roman Catholic

Part of POPE FRANCIS CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

Netherton Way, Bootle, L30 2NA

0151 521 3088 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card2 expected, 4 needs attentionSafeguarding met · 3 February 2026
Grade 5 or above in English and maths19%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils575Room for 600
First-choice applications per place0.784 for 114 places, September 2026

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 3 February 2026 , published 27 April 2026.

In short: 2 expected, 4 needs attention, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

65 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school
94% 83%
My child feels safe at this school
91% 85%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved
86% 78%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 55 parents who had raised a concern
91% 74%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 18 parents of children with SEND
100% 63%
I would recommend this school to another parent
94%said yes 83%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 12%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

We'll ask you to confirm. One email per change, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy.

Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

75 pupils in this year group.

19% — 21 points below the Sefton average, and 27 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolSeftonEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 19% 40% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 32.2 42.9 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 2.5 3.7 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2023/24: 10%This school 2024/25: 19% This school England 45% 2022/23 – 2023/24 10% 2024/25 19%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 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 Sefton. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.

Places offered114
Families who put it first84
Of those, offered a place84 (100%)
Families who listed it at all211

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.5 · 2025: 0.7 · 2026: 0.7

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 Sefton

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolSeftonEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
 54.3% 29.4%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
 1.3% 3.5%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
 21.6% 16.0%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
 16.5% 7.7%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
 12.4% 10.1%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
 35.5% 28.2%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
 22.2 14.8 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
 9.6% 7.1% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil 0.19% 0.17% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
 22.6 16.6 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
 16.3 11.9 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
 17.6% 12.5%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary 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 secondary schools

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

Questions parents ask

What is The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco's Ofsted rating?

The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 3 February 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 2 expected, 4 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.

How did The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 19% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 27 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco?

94% of the 65 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Is The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 84 families put The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco as their first choice for 114 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 84 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.