Most sought-after schools in Sefton
Ordered by how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out.
This list is sorted by one number: first preferences per place. For each school it is the number of families who named it first, divided by the number of offers it made, in the newest year we hold. A higher number means more families wanted a place than there were places.
This is not a list of the best schools. It does not measure how good a school is, how happy the children are, or how well they do. It also does not tell you whether a child would get a place: that depends on where you live, the year, and the council's rules. It only shows how many people applied.
| # | School | First preferences per place | Newest intake | Latest Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Holy Family Catholic High School Liverpool, secondary |
1.73 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 2 |
Freshfield Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.60 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 3 |
St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary |
1.60 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 4 |
Maghull High School Liverpool, secondary |
1.38 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 5 |
St George's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.25 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 6 |
Formby High School Liverpool, secondary |
1.23 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 7 |
Shoreside Primary School Southport, primary |
1.23 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 8 |
St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Lydiate Liverpool, primary |
1.23 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 9 |
Chesterfield High School Liverpool, secondary |
1.21 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 10 |
Hatton Hill Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.20 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 11 |
Netherton Moss Primary School Bootle, primary |
1.20 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 12 |
Northway Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.20 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 13 |
St William of York Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.20 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 14 |
Hillside High School Bootle, secondary |
1.18 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 15 |
Litherland High School Liverpool, secondary |
1.15 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 16 |
Melling Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.14 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 17 |
St Monica's Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary |
1.14 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 18 |
Aintree Davenhill Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.12 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 19 |
Green Park Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.10 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 20 |
Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.10 | 2025 | Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 21 |
St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary |
1.10 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 22 |
Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.09 | 2025 | Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 23 |
Birkdale High School Southport, secondary |
1.08 | 2025 | Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 24 |
English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.08 | 2025 | Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 25 |
Great Crosby Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.04 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 26 |
Greenbank High School Southport, secondary |
1.03 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 27 |
Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 28 |
Farnborough Road Infant School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 29 |
Holy Family Catholic Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 30 |
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Southport Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 31 |
Kew Woods Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 32 |
Larkfield Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 33 |
Linacre Primary School Bootle, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Urgent improvement (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 34 |
Norwood Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 35 |
Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Select, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 36 |
St John's Church of England Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Needs attention (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 37 |
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 38 |
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 39 |
St Philip's Church of England Primary School Southport, primary |
1.00 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 40 |
Churchtown Primary School Southport, primary |
0.99 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 41 |
Birkdale Primary School Southport, primary |
0.98 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 42 |
Marshside Primary School Southport, primary |
0.97 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 43 |
Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre Southport, primary |
0.96 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 44 |
St Gregory's Catholic Primary School Merseyside, primary |
0.95 | 2025 | Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 45 |
St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 46 |
St John's Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.94 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 47 |
Hudson Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.93 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 48 |
St Luke's Church of England Primary School Formby, primary |
0.93 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 49 |
Christ Church Church of England Controlled Primary School Bootle, primary |
0.92 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 50 |
King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes Bootle, secondary |
0.92 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 51 |
St Jerome's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 52 |
St Oswald's Church of England Primary School Bootle, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 53 |
Summerhill Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 54 |
Woodlands Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.90 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 55 |
Deyes High School Liverpool, secondary |
0.88 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 56 |
Holy Rosary Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.87 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 57 |
Lydiate Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.86 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 58 |
Springwell Park Community Primary School Bootle, primary |
0.85 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 59 |
All Saints Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary |
0.84 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 60 |
Redgate Community Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.83 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 61 |
St Andrews Church of England Primary School, Maghull Liverpool, primary |
0.83 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 62 |
Ursuline Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.83 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 63 |
Litherland Moss Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.80 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 64 |
St John Bosco Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.79 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 65 |
Stanley High School Southport, secondary |
0.78 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 66 |
Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Southport, secondary |
0.77 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 67 |
St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.76 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 68 |
St Luke's Halsall Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.72 | 2025 | School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection) |
| 69 |
The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco Bootle, secondary |
0.72 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 70 |
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary |
0.71 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 71 |
Range High School Liverpool, secondary |
0.68 | 2025 | Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 72 |
Maricourt Catholic High School Liverpool, secondary |
0.62 | 2025 | Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework)) |
| 73 |
Holy Spirit Catholic Academy Bootle, primary |
0.57 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
| 74 |
Sacred Heart Catholic Academy Liverpool, secondary |
0.46 | 2025 | Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)) |
Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 74 schools in Sefton have a published per-place figure. Schools with too few places for the figure to mean anything are left off. All schools in Sefton · How we compare schools.