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	Valewood Primary School Liverpool, primary	2.04	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
2	St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary	1.87	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
3	Freshfield Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.70	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
4	Holy Family Catholic High School Liverpool, secondary	1.70	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
5	Melling Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.53	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
6	Hillside High School Bootle, secondary	1.49	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
7	Shoreside Primary School Southport, primary	1.37	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
8	King's Lander Primary Academy Liverpool, primary	1.33	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
9	Aintree Davenhill Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.28	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
10	St Gregory's Catholic Primary School Merseyside, primary	1.24	2026	Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
11	Thomas Gray Primary School Bootle, primary	1.21	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
12	Forefield Community Infant and Nursery School Liverpool, primary	1.20	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
13	Northway Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.20	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
14	Meols Cop High School Southport, secondary	1.18	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
15	Hatton Hill Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.17	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
16	Hudson Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.14	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
17	Maghull High School Liverpool, secondary	1.13	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
18	St William of York Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.13	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
19	Formby High School Liverpool, secondary	1.10	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
20	Summerhill Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.10	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
21	The Grange Primary School Bootle, primary	1.10	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
22	Ursuline Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.08	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
23	Chesterfield High School Liverpool, secondary	1.07	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
24	Netherton Moss Primary School Bootle, primary	1.07	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
25	Trinity St Peter's CofE Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.07	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
26	Greenbank High School Southport, secondary	1.03	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
27	Springwell Park Community Primary School Bootle, primary	1.03	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
28	St Andrews Church of England Primary School, Maghull Liverpool, primary	1.03	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
29	St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Lydiate Liverpool, primary	1.03	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
30	Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
31	Holy Family Catholic Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
32	Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Southport Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
33	Larkfield Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
34	Linaker Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
35	St Jerome's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
36	St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
37	St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
38	St Philip's Church of England Primary School Southport, primary	1.00	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
39	Birkdale High School Southport, secondary	0.99	2026	Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
40	Churchtown Primary School Southport, primary	0.99	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
41	Norwood Primary School Southport, primary	0.99	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
42	Holy Rosary Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.98	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
43	Kew Woods Primary School Southport, primary	0.98	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
44	Litherland High School Liverpool, secondary	0.98	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
45	Woodlands Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.98	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
46	Bedford Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.96	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
47	Farnborough Road Infant School Southport, primary	0.96	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
48	Marshside Primary School Southport, primary	0.96	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
49	Birkdale Primary School Southport, primary	0.95	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
50	English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.95	2026	Improved significantly (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
51	Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Select, primary	0.95	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
52	All Saints Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary	0.94	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
53	Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.93	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
54	St John Bosco Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.93	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
55	Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Southport, primary	0.92	2026	none held
56	Christ Church Church of England Controlled Primary School Bootle, primary	0.91	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
57	Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre Southport, primary	0.91	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
58	Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.91	2026	Outstanding (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
59	Litherland Moss Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.90	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
60	St Monica's Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary	0.90	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
61	St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.89	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
62	St John's Church of England Primary School Southport, primary	0.89	2026	Needs attention (Ofsted report card (current framework))
63	St Luke's Church of England Primary School Formby, primary	0.89	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
64	Range High School Liverpool, secondary	0.88	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
65	St Edmund's and St Thomas' Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.88	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
66	Stanley High School Southport, secondary	0.88	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
67	Waterloo Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.88	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
68	Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Southport, secondary	0.86	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
69	Our Lady of Walsingham Primary School Bootle, primary	0.84	2026	Requires improvement (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
70	Redgate Community Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.83	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
71	St Oswald's Church of England Primary School Bootle, primary	0.83	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
72	Great Crosby Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.81	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
73	Our Lady of Compassion Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.81	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
74	St John's Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.81	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
75	Deyes High School Liverpool, secondary	0.80	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
76	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.80	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
77	St Benedict's Catholic Primary School Bootle, primary	0.79	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
78	St George's Catholic Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.79	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
79	King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes Bootle, secondary	0.78	2026	Good (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
80	Green Park Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.77	2026	Standards maintained (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
81	Ainsdale St John's Church of England Primary School Southport, primary	0.74	2026	Strong standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
82	The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco Bootle, secondary	0.74	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
83	Linacre Primary School Bootle, primary	0.73	2026	Urgent improvement (Ofsted report card (current framework))
84	St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.72	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
85	Holy Spirit Catholic Academy Bootle, primary	0.67	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
86	Maricourt Catholic High School Liverpool, secondary	0.66	2026	Expected standard (Ofsted report card (current framework))
87	St Luke's Halsall Church of England Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.63	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
88	Lydiate Primary School Liverpool, primary	0.62	2026	School remains Good (Ofsted ungraded inspection)
89	Sacred Heart Catholic Academy Liverpool, secondary	0.62	2026	Not judged (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))
90	St Michaels Church of England Academy Crosby, secondary	0.31	2026	Inadequate (Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework))

Figures from the Department for Education, applications and offers. 90 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.