Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

Wirral · CH41 7DU

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 185 pupils, 81.5% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 29.7% on SEN support Behaviour 7.1% absence rate Staff 8.3% turnover Financials £7,599 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

General Information

Address: Gautby Road, Bidston, Birkenhead, CH41 7DU – View on map
Phone: 01516528454
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Paula Br
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 20 families put it first for 23 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 8 · 2024 9 · 2025 10 · 2026 9
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

185 pupils out of 210 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 141
% eligible for free school meals: 81.5%
Pupil mix: 4 in 10 (more mixed than the Wirral average)
English as an additional language: 16% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 8.3% a year (Wirral 14.3%, typical in England 13.9%) Low turnover
Where they went: about 40% moved to another school, 60% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. "Low turnover" means it's among the quarter of similar schools in England where teachers are most likely to stay.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Wirral: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 4 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Wirral, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 7.1%
Persistently absent pupils: 19.7%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 29.7%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.7%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 18 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 16 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 14 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 3 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 4 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2022 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 73% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 0% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 15 percentage points above the Wirral average (58%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 67% against an expected 54%)
3-year average (expected standard): 67%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 73% · Writing 80% · Maths 87% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 67%
Average test scores: reading 105, maths 106
Based on: 15 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolWirral averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 15 percentage points above the Wirral average (58%).

Year 6 SATs: 12th of 75 junior and primary schools in the area

#10Thingwall Primary School79%
#11Great Meols Primary School75%
#12Holy Cross Catholic Primary School73%
=13Greasby Junior School70%
=13Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary School70%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Thornton Hough Primary School100%
#2Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary and Nursery School86%
#3Brackenwood Junior School85%
=4Mersey Park Primary School83%
=4Poulton Lancelyn Primary School83%
=4Thurstaston Dawpool CofE Primary School83%
=7Barnston Primary School82%
=7Gayton Primary School82%
#9West Kirby Primary School81%
#10Thingwall Primary School79%
#11Great Meols Primary School75%
#12Holy Cross Catholic Primary School73%
=13Greasby Junior School70%
=13Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary School70%
=13Irby Primary School70%
=13Townfield Primary School70%
=17Brookdale Primary School69%
=17Church Drive Primary School69%
=19Heswall Primary School68%
=19Liscard Primary School68%
=19St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead68%
=22Christ The King Catholic Primary School67%
=22Ladymount Catholic Primary School67%
=22Woodchurch Road Academy67%
#25Heygarth Primary School65%
=26Higher Bebington Junior School64%
=26St George's Primary School64%
=28Birkenhead High School Academy61%
=28St Anne's Catholic Primary School61%
=28St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School61%
#31Lingham Primary School60%
#32New Brighton Primary School58%
#33St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey57%
=34Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School56%
=34Manor Primary School56%
=34Mount Primary School56%
=34Overchurch Junior School56%
=34Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School56%
=34Somerville Primary School56%
#40St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton55%
=41Leasowe Primary School53%
=41Park Primary School53%
=41Prenton Primary School53%
=41St Paul's Catholic Primary School53%
=41Woodlands Primary School53%
=46Egremont Primary School52%
=46Moreton Christ Church CofE Primary School52%
=46Stanton Road Primary School52%
=49Chapelhill Primary School50%
=49Pensby Primary School50%
=49Raeburn Primary School50%
=52Co-op Academy Hillside48%
=52St Peter's Catholic Primary School48%
#54Devonshire Park Primary School47%
#55The Priory Parish CofE Primary School46%
=56Co-op Academy Portland45%
=56St John's Catholic Junior School45%
=58Black Horse Hill Junior School44%
=58Greenleas Primary School44%
=58St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School44%
=61Millfields Church of England (Controlled) Primary School43%
=61Riverside Primary School43%
=63Co-op Academy Woodslee41%
=63Fender Primary School41%
=63Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary School41%
=63Mendell Primary School41%
#67Bedford Drive Primary School38%
#68Kingsway Primary School37%
#69Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School36%
#70Castleway Primary School33%
#71Grove Street Primary School30%
#72Rock Ferry Primary School28%
#73Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School27%
#74Cathcart Street Primary School26%
#75Eastway Primary School21%

View full Ofsted inspection report

21st of 54 primary schools in Wirral for Ofsted rating

#19Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#20Heygarth Primary SchoolGood
#21Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#22Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#23Hoylake Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Mersey Park Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolOutstanding
#3St Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Thornton Hough Primary SchoolOutstanding
#5Bedford Drive Primary SchoolGood
#6Bidston Avenue Primary SchoolGood
#7Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolGood
#8Brookdale Primary SchoolGood
#9Brookhurst Primary SchoolGood
#10Christ The King Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#11Church Drive Primary SchoolGood
#12Co-op Academy WoodsleeGood
#13Devonshire Park Primary SchoolGood
#14Eastway Primary SchoolGood
#15Great Meols Primary SchoolGood
#16Greenleas Primary SchoolGood
#17Grove Street Primary SchoolGood
#18Heswall Primary SchoolGood
#19Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#20Heygarth Primary SchoolGood
#21Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#22Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#23Hoylake Holy Trinity CofE Primary SchoolGood
#24Irby Primary SchoolGood
#25Ladymount Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#26Liscard Primary SchoolGood
#27Moreton Christ Church CofE Primary SchoolGood
#28Mount Primary SchoolGood
#29New Brighton Primary SchoolGood
#30Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#31Park Primary SchoolGood
#32Pensby Primary SchoolGood
#33Raeburn Primary SchoolGood
#34Riverside Primary SchoolGood
#35Rock Ferry Primary SchoolGood
#36SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyGood
#37Sacred Heart Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#38Somerville Primary SchoolGood
#39St Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#40St George's Primary SchoolGood
#41St Joseph's Catholic Primary School UptonGood
#42St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, BirkenheadGood
#43St Peter's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#44St Werburgh's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#45Thingwall Primary SchoolGood
#46Townfield Primary SchoolGood
#47West Kirby Primary SchoolGood
#48Woodlands Primary SchoolGood
#49Cathcart Street Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#50Chapelhill Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#51Manor Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#52Millfields Church of England (Controlled) Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#53Well Lane Primary SchoolInadequate
#54Woodchurch CofE Primary SchoolInadequate

Financials

Spending per pupil: £7,599 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

37th of 74 primary schools in Wirral for spending per pupil

#35Park Primary School£7,698
#36Castleway Primary School£7,697
#37Holy Cross Catholic Primary School£7,599
#38Woodchurch CofE Primary School£7,509
#39Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School£7,368

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Chapelhill Primary School£13,349
#2Millfields Church of England (Controlled) Primary School£13,334
#3Leasowe Primary School£12,375
#4Manor Primary School£10,587
#5The Priory Parish CofE Primary School£10,432
#6Kingsway Primary School£10,254
#7Co-op Academy Hillside£10,224
#8Fender Primary School£9,848
#9Eastway Primary School£9,799
#10Egremont Primary School£9,748
#11Riverside Primary School£9,535
#12St Paul's Catholic Primary School£9,460
#13St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wallasey£9,202
#14St Peter's Catholic Primary School£9,192
#15Grove Street Primary School£8,988
#16Birkenhead Christ Church CofE Primary School£8,889
#17Holy Spirit Catholic and Church of England Primary School£8,858
#18St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School£8,846
#19Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School£8,691
#20Somerville Primary School£8,639
#21Cathcart Street Primary School£8,489
#22Woodlands Primary School£8,408
#23Woodchurch Road Academy£8,354
#24Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary and Nursery School£8,267
#25Rock Ferry Primary School£8,237
#26Devonshire Park Primary School£8,231
#27Co-op Academy Portland£8,198
#28St Anne's Catholic Primary School£8,121
#29Lingham Primary School£8,107
#30St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School£8,079
#31Mersey Park Primary School£7,933
#32Mendell Primary School£7,886
#33Co-op Academy Woodslee£7,779
#34St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton£7,774
#35Park Primary School£7,698
#36Castleway Primary School£7,697
#37Holy Cross Catholic Primary School£7,599
#38Woodchurch CofE Primary School£7,509
#39Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School£7,368
#40Heswall Primary School£7,228
#41Bedford Drive Primary School£7,195
#42Mount Primary School£7,149
#43Greenleas Primary School£7,007
#44Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary School£6,990
#45New Brighton Primary School£6,960
#46West Kirby Primary School£6,902
#47Liscard Primary School£6,859
#48Townfield Primary School£6,639
#49Ladymount Catholic Primary School£6,573
#50Heygarth Primary School£6,521
#51Thingwall Primary School£6,483
#52Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School£6,449
#53Pensby Primary School£6,438
#54Raeburn Primary School£6,432
#55Moreton Christ Church CofE Primary School£6,400
#56St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Birkenhead£6,392
#57Christ The King Catholic Primary School£6,380
#58Stanton Road Primary School£6,239
#59Thurstaston Dawpool CofE Primary School£6,207
#60Church Drive Primary School£6,183
#61Brookdale Primary School£6,133
#62Great Meols Primary School£6,084
#63Prenton Primary School£6,061
#64St George's Primary School£6,029
#65Irby Primary School£5,937
#66Thornton Hough Primary School£5,937
#67Poulton Lancelyn Primary School£5,617
#68Gayton Primary School£5,589
#69Barnston Primary School£5,474
#70SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£3,964
#71St Alban's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£3,432
#72Bidston Avenue Primary School£2,627
#73Oxton St Saviour's CofE Primary School£1,981
#74Well Lane Primary School£919

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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