St Mary’s Catholic Infant Academy Review 2026: A faith-centred start, with reading as a clear priority

Because the academy is an infant setting up to Year 2, you should read “results” differently from a full primary school. National Key Stage 2 outcomes are not a feature here, since pupils do not sit Year 6 assessments at this site. In practice, the most meaningful indicators for an infant school are early reading, phonics, language development, and how well the curriculum is sequenced so children build secure foundations rather than racing ahead.

The strongest published evidence point is early reading. The predecessor inspection described reading as a high priority, with staff trained to deliver a carefully structured phonics programme, daily sessions beginning in Nursery, and matched reading books aligned to the sounds pupils know. It also noted regular checks and support for pupils who fall behind, with most pupils reading fluently and accurately by the end of Year 2. The current academy website reinforces this focus through its explicit phonics and early reading approach, including the use of Read Write Inc as a structured programme.

The area that previously needed improvement was breadth and clarity across the wider curriculum. The June 2022 inspection for the predecessor infant school identified that curriculum expectations were not clear enough in some subjects, which made it harder for teaching to build knowledge logically over time. The implication for parents is not that children are unhappy, because behaviour and relationships were described as positive, but that curriculum design and subject leadership capacity were the improvement lever. When you visit or speak to the school now, this is the thread to probe: what has changed in how the curriculum is sequenced beyond English and maths, and how leaders check quality consistently across subjects.

Early reading is organised deliberately. The school describes a systematic approach to phonics through Read Write Inc, with children learning sounds, blending to read words, and applying this in carefully matched storybooks. There is also a clear explanation for families about the Year 1 phonics screening check and what it is intended to confirm. For many families, this transparency matters because it enables consistent practice at home without guessing what the school expects.

In mathematics, the predecessor inspection highlighted stronger structure, with knowledge carefully sequenced and guidance about what to teach and when, enabling pupils to build concepts over time. That is usually the difference between pupils memorising steps and pupils developing number sense and confidence.

For early years, the school’s published material emphasises independence, confidence and high expectations, alongside time spent explicitly teaching routines and learning behaviours. The practical implication is a setting likely to suit children who benefit from clear boundaries and repetition, while still needing warmth and encouragement in the first years of schooling.

SEND identification is described as early and active in the predecessor inspection, with strategies to enable pupils to access the same curriculum as peers. The school also publishes SEND documentation, which is useful for families who want to understand the graduated approach and how support is planned and reviewed.

Children typically leave at the end of Year 2 and move into Key Stage 2 elsewhere. Many families will consider the linked junior academy within the federation, since it continues the journey through Years 3 to 6. The key point is that transition is not automatic in the way some all-through primaries operate. The parent handbook makes this explicit: a Nursery place does not guarantee a place at the infant academy, and the admissions policy process runs formally through the local authority route. This means families should treat future applications, including junior transfer planning, as a separate step rather than assuming internal progression is guaranteed.

If your child is in Nursery now, the best planning question to ask is practical rather than philosophical: what does the school do to prepare children for the next phase, and how does it support families through the transition and application timeline.

Applications for Reception places in St Helens are coordinated through the local authority process for the September 2026 intake, with a closing date of 15 January 2026 and offers made on 16 April 2026. Those exact dates matter for planning cycles. For families looking ahead to future years, the pattern is likely to remain similar, but you should always confirm the current year’s timetable.

St Mary’s is a faith school and its published admissions arrangements set out oversubscription criteria that prioritise, in order, looked-after children, then baptised Catholic children in specific categories, then other Christian denominations, other faiths, and finally other children, with distance used as a tie-break within a criterion where places are still contested. If you expect to rely on faith priority, you should read the policy carefully and gather the required evidence early, especially where baptism documentation is relevant.

Demand indicators show oversubscription on the primary entry route, with 90 applications and 54 offers and an application-to-offer ratio of 1.67. For parents, the practical implication is that a back-up plan is sensible, even if St Mary’s is the first choice.

A useful way to reduce uncertainty is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your precise distance and to sense-check local alternatives. Distance is not the whole story for a faith school, but it becomes decisive when applications exceed places within a given priority band.

The published picture is of a school that places relationships and safety at the centre of daily life. In the predecessor inspection, pupils reported feeling comfortable speaking to staff about worries, including bullying, and felt confident issues would be handled properly. That is the sort of cultural signal that tends to correlate with a calm environment for younger children, because “trusted adult” systems work best when they are normalised early.

School routines described in the handbook focus heavily on safe transitions and clear handover points, including expectations around drop-off, collection, and children remaining under parental responsibility until doors open. For families, this is both a safeguarding measure and a clue that the school expects consistency from parents as well as pupils.

For an infant setting, enrichment works best when it reinforces confidence, language and social development rather than feeling like an add-on. The school’s materials point to pupil leadership roles such as School Council, Buddies, Eco Club and Worship Warriors. These are age-appropriate responsibilities that can genuinely build voice and belonging, especially for quieter children who benefit from structured ways to contribute.

The predecessor inspection referenced a wide range of clubs, including sports and arts, suggesting extracurricular opportunities were part of the culture rather than occasional. The handbook also states that a programme of clubs runs across the academic year, led by staff, before or after school. If this is important to you, ask for the current term’s club list, because infant clubs often vary significantly by staffing and season.

Physical activity is framed as both curriculum and enrichment, with two hours of PE weekly and participation in intra and inter competitions, supported by community links with local sports clubs. This sort of approach usually benefits children who need movement to regulate and focus, which is common in early years and Key Stage 1.

The school day for Reception to Year 2 starts with doors opening at 8:40am, registration at 8:55am, and the day ending at 3:15pm. Nursery sessions are described as morning, afternoon, or 30-hours provision, with timings set out in the parent handbook.

Wraparound childcare is a meaningful consideration here because it affects family logistics. The handbook describes on-site breakfast provision from 7:30am and after-school provision until 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, available from Nursery through Year 6. There is also a newer school webpage noting breakfast and after-school clubs opening from 31 March 2025, with further information to follow. If you rely on wraparound, confirm current pricing and availability directly with the school before making assumptions for a future intake year.

On costs, this is a state school with no tuition fees. There are still normal incidentals. One example from the published handbook is subsidised milk for Reception to Year 2, listed as £6.00 per year at the time of publication, and the usual expectations around uniform and educational visits.

Travel and parking can be a pinch point. The handbook notes no allocated parking and congestion on nearby roads, with explicit warnings against parking on pavements, blocking roads, or using restricted areas. If you expect to drive, build in time and consider whether walking routes are realistic for your household.

• A Requires Improvement baseline, with improvement work to evidence. The latest published inspection evidence for the predecessor infant school (June 2022) rated Requires Improvement, with curriculum clarity and subject leadership identified as the key weaknesses. Ask what has changed since then, particularly in foundation subjects, and how leaders now check curriculum quality across the school.

• Oversubscription makes planning essential. With the school marked oversubscribed in the provided local demand data, families should treat deadlines and documentary evidence as crucial, and keep realistic alternatives in mind.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. The school is explicit that a Nursery place does not automatically secure an infant school place. Families using Nursery as their entry point should plan early for Reception applications.

• Wraparound details may change year to year. Breakfast and after-school provision is described, but the school also flags that information is evolving. If wraparound is non-negotiable for your family, confirm arrangements before committing to a plan.

St Mary’s Catholic Infant Academy offers a clearly Catholic start to school life, with strong emphasis on routines, relationships and early reading. It is likely to suit families who value faith-centred education and want a structured approach to phonics and learning habits from Nursery onwards. The limiting factor is admission rather than day-to-day experience, so families should plan carefully, keep documentation in order, and treat timelines as fixed points rather than guidelines.