The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
This is a voluntary aided Catholic primary in Whiston, serving pupils from age 3 to 11, with Reception entry and an on-site nursery. The school’s public-facing message is simple: a small community with high expectations and a strong pastoral core, anchored in Gospel values and Catholic social teaching. That faith element is not cosmetic. It shapes pupil leadership roles, charitable work, prayer and liturgy, and the language staff use when describing inclusion and community life.
Academically, the most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes (2024) show 72% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%. Scaled scores are slightly above the England reference point of 100 in reading (102), mathematics (105) and grammar, punctuation and spelling (103), which suggests solid attainment in core skills for many pupils, even as combined measures sit below the national midpoint. For families, the practical headline is that this is a school with a clearly defined ethos and an oversubscribed Reception intake, so admissions timing and criteria matter as much as educational fit.
The school’s Catholic character is expressed through structured pupil roles and routines, not just displays and assemblies. A good example is the Lauding Lions, a pupil group selected through an application and interview process. Their responsibilities go well beyond “helping out”. They plan and lead prayer and liturgy, support assemblies, run scripture focus groups, share the Wednesday Word, and evaluate prayer and reflection areas across the school. For a parent, that translates into a culture where leadership is framed as service and where pupils are expected to articulate values, not simply follow them.
The Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI) report published in late 2024 grades Catholic life and mission as 1, with pupil outcomes, provision, and leadership also graded 1. In practice, that report describes a calm, prayerful environment that adapts spaces to support pupils with differing needs, and it highlights pupil groups such as the Lauding Lions and Eco Warriors as visible mechanisms for “faith in action”.
Day-to-day leadership is provided by the headteacher, Mrs Angela Tambourini. Public sources confirm her current role, but do not clearly publish an appointment date, so it is best to treat tenure length as unpublished rather than assumed.
Nursery and early years provision appears intentionally structured. The EYFS statements emphasise a play-based curriculum, strong adult child relationships, and the use of Development Matters as a guide for milestones and readiness. There is also explicit reference to Read Write Inc starting from the summer term in Nursery, which will matter to families who want early phonics to feel systematic rather than ad hoc.
A final contextual point: the current school identity reflects a relatively modern merging of communities. An older Ofsted report (2008) explains that, after the closure of Southmead Community Primary School, pupils and staff joined St Leo’s Catholic Primary School and the school was renamed to reflect the combined community. That is useful background for families who value continuity and local roots, since the “two communities becoming one” story is built into the school’s name and self-presentation.
The most recent published Key Stage 2 outcomes (2024) show:
72% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the England average of 62%.
Higher standard across reading, writing and maths at 14.67%, compared with the England average of 8%.
Scaled scores of 102 in reading, 105 in mathematics, and 103 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Taken together, that profile suggests a cohort where a meaningful proportion secure strong outcomes, especially in mathematics and combined higher standard measures, while the overall combined expected measure sits below what the best-performing primaries in England achieve. The higher standard comparison is the most positive signal in the available figures because it outperforms the England benchmark.
On FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking based on official data, the school is ranked 10,695th in England for primary outcomes, and 12th locally within the Prescot area. That places performance below England average in ranking terms (it sits beyond the 60th percentile), while still showing some subject-level strengths in the underlying measures.
The latest Ofsted inspection took place on 21 and 22 March 2023 and confirmed the school continues to be Good.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
72%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
Curriculum intent is made unusually visible through year-group knowledge organisers across multiple subjects, including computing, music, French, history, geography, art, and design technology. For parents, this matters because it signals a school trying to build cumulative learning, not just themed projects. Year 4, for example, includes computing units explicitly titled around digital literacy themes such as “Fake News” and “My Digital Life”. Year 5 includes units that indicate deliberate sequencing and breadth, such as Earth and Space in science and Anglo-Saxons in history, with linked design technology work (Anglo-Saxon bread) that suggests cross-curricular planning rather than isolated topics.
The 2023 inspection report describes a curriculum designed to build logically on prior learning, with leaders training teachers to deliver it as intended, and it identifies assessment as an area where consistency across subjects still needs work. For a parent, the implication is that classroom teaching is likely to feel structured, but that some foundation knowledge checks may be stronger in core subjects than in the full breadth of the curriculum.
Early reading is a visible priority. The inspection evidence references deep dives in early reading, mathematics, and history, and the early years materials emphasise phonics and structured progression into Reception. If you are weighing this school for a child who benefits from routine, clear steps, and predictable learning sequences, the published curriculum materials point in that direction.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
From a practical standpoint, families aiming for particular secondary routes should focus on two things early: understanding local secondary admissions criteria, and ensuring the Key Stage 2 years are stable and well supported, since reading, writing and maths outcomes still play a role in confidence and readiness even when they do not determine admissions directly.
Reception admissions are coordinated through Knowsley’s local authority process, but as a voluntary aided Catholic school, the governing body sets oversubscription criteria and uses a faith-based framework when the school is oversubscribed. The determined admissions number for Reception is 30 for the September 2024 intake, and the oversubscription criteria prioritise, in order, looked after and previously looked after children, baptised Catholic children with a sibling in school, other children with a sibling, then parish-based and faith-based categories, followed by other applicants. Where places cannot be offered within a category, distance to the school is used as the tie-break, measured as a straight line.
For 2026 to 2027 Reception entry in Knowsley, the coordinated admissions scheme sets the online application opening by 12 September 2025, the national closing date as 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day as Thursday 16 April 2026. This is the timetable families should plan around, even if the school later publishes its own reminders.
For demand, the figures show 36 applications for 25 offers in the most recent year captured for primary admissions, with 1.44 applications per place and an “Oversubscribed” status. That is not the scale of competition seen in some large urban primaries, but it is enough to make criteria, parish alignment, and deadlines decisive.
Families considering a move should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check real walking and straight line distances from likely addresses, then compare those with typical allocation patterns for similar voluntary aided schools locally. Distance alone is not the whole story here because faith criteria can move the effective cut-off substantially year to year.
100%
1st preference success rate
22 of 22 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
25
Offers
25
Applications
36
Pastoral expectations are tightly linked to the school’s stated mission and Catholic life. The CSI report places strong emphasis on inclusion as a lived practice, stating that the environment is adapted to meet needs and that pupils are made to feel valued regardless of ability. For parents of children who need predictable routines and a consistent approach to belonging, that is a meaningful indicator.
Safeguarding leadership roles are clearly set out in published school information, with the headteacher named as Designated Safeguarding Lead and the deputy headteacher as deputy safeguarding lead.
The school’s wider offer is strongest where it connects faith, citizenship, and pupil responsibility. The Lauding Lions structure is the most distinctive example, with pupils actively planning worship, leading prayer, and supporting younger pupils through scripture-based work. That offers a meaningful leadership pathway for children who gain confidence through structured roles and service-focused responsibility.
Eco and social justice activity is also named explicitly, with “Eco Warriors” appearing in the school’s Catholic social teaching materials and CSI report. In practical terms, this looks like environmental stewardship projects and the language of Catholic social teaching being taught in a way pupils can explain.
For more conventional clubs, the 2023 inspection report references a range of clubs including chess, sports and a “challenge club”. While that list is not exhaustive, it does confirm that provision exists beyond lessons and that it is varied rather than single-track.
Wraparound care is a clear practical strength. Breakfast Club runs from 8.00am to 8.45am, with a set weekly cost of £7, and After School Club runs from the end of the school day until 5.15pm, priced at £5 per night. For working families, those published timings are unusually specific and reduce guesswork when planning childcare.
Term dates for 2025 to 2026 are published, including the Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 open and close dates.
Results profile is mixed. Key Stage 2 combined expected standard is 72% in 2024, which is above the England average of 62%, but FindMySchool’s ranking position sits in the below-average band nationally. Families should read the detail, not just a single headline.
Faith criteria can be decisive. Oversubscription criteria prioritise baptised Catholic children, parish links, and other faith categories before “other children”, with distance as a tie-break within categories. Families not aligned with the Catholic ethos should still expect a faith-led daily experience, even if admission remains possible.
Admissions deadlines are unforgiving. For 2026 to 2027 Reception entry, the local authority scheme sets 15 January 2026 as the national closing date and 16 April 2026 as offer day. Missing deadlines can materially reduce options.
Nursery fee specifics are not for the review. The school has nursery provision, but families should use the school’s official channels for current nursery pricing and funding eligibility details.
St Leo’s and Southmead Catholic Primary School Serving the Community suits families who want a clear Catholic ethos embedded into daily routines, pupil leadership, and the wider life of the school, alongside practical wraparound provision that genuinely supports working parents. Academically, the published Key Stage 2 data shows a solid core, with higher-standard outcomes that compare well with England averages, even as overall ranking position sits below the national midpoint. Best suited to families comfortable with faith shaping school culture, and organised enough to engage early with the admissions process and supporting evidence.
The school continues to be rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection (21 and 22 March 2023). Key Stage 2 outcomes in 2024 show 72% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, above the England average of 62%, with 14.67% at the higher standard compared with 8% nationally.
As a voluntary aided Catholic school, admissions are not based on a simple catchment map. Oversubscription criteria prioritise looked after children, siblings, baptised Catholic children, parish links, and other faith categories, with distance used as a tie-break where needed.
Yes. Breakfast Club runs 8.00am to 8.45am and After School Club runs until 5.15pm on school days, with published weekly and nightly charges.
Applications are made through Knowsley’s coordinated admissions process. The published timetable for 2026 to 2027 entry opens the online portal by 12 September 2025, sets the national closing date as 15 January 2026, and issues offers on 16 April 2026. If you want the application considered under faith criteria, you should also complete the school’s supplementary information process and be ready to provide supporting documentation if requested.
Faith is woven into pupil leadership and routines. For example, the Lauding Lions pupil group plans and leads prayer and liturgy, supports assemblies, and helps maintain prayer and reflection areas, and the school promotes Catholic social teaching through projects such as Eco Warriors.
Get in touch with the school directly
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