Ofsted: Inadequate trending_up Places Available emoji_events #48 in Sefton public Top 84% UK

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Michelle Forrest

corporate_fareST JOSEPH CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

location_onBootle, L30 2NR

language Visit Website phone 1515257497

verified

Ofsted

Inadequate

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

181

school

Expected Standard

48%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Bootle, serving ages 3-11. Currently rated Inadequate by Ofsted. Ranks in the top 84% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Holy Spirit Catholic Academy is an academy sponsor led in Bootle, Sefton, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 164 pupils on roll, of whom 70% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 48% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #48 of 69 primaries in Sefton and #10,869 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Inadequate. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 17.2:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

48%

LA 57%

Reading62% LA 73%

Writing72% LA 68%

Maths59% LA 72%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

38%

LA 56%England 61%

Reading52% LA 71% · Eng 74%

Writing52% LA 67% · Eng 72%

Maths48% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

100

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

29%

LA 57%England 60%

Reading59% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing35% LA 69% · Eng 71%

Maths35% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

3.6

Read

LA 0.4

0.5 to 6.6

-2.7

Write

LA -0.1

-5.6 to 0.3

0.2

Maths

LA -0.2

-2.7 to 3.1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

12 November 2024

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-11-12

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2019-05-15

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 EIF

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Inadequate

2016-11-15

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 164 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	164	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	163	2	1.2%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	176	1	0.6%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	170	0	0.0%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	170	1	0.6%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	185	5	2.7%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	181	7	3.9%	0.6%	2
2022/23 (Autumn term)	177	7	4.0%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	201	1	0.5%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	0	9	-	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 23 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 22 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 16 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

92.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

93.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

21.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree57%

agree36%

strongly disagree7%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree64%

agree36%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree50%

agree21%

disagree7%

strongly disagree7%

not applicable14%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree57%

agree43%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree86%

agree14%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree50%

agree43%

disagree7%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree71%

agree29%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree71%

agree14%

disagree7%

strongly disagree7%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree50%

agree36%

disagree7%

don't know7%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes93%

no7%

Top Primary Schools in Sefton

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre

Good

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Litherland Moss Primary School

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St Oswald's Church of England Primary School

Good

location_on Bootle, L30 5RH

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St Philip's Church of England Primary School

Good

location_on Southport, PR8 6SS

emoji_events #4 in LA

Kew Woods Primary School

Good

location_on Southport, PR8 6JW

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Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School

Good

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emoji_events #6 in LA

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Sefton

Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre

Litherland Moss Primary School

St Oswald's Church of England Primary School

St Philip's Church of England Primary School

Kew Woods Primary School

Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School