Northcote Primary School

Northcote Primary School is performing well overall, with its strengths highlighted in personal development, where it excels by fostering thoughtful and articulate individuals. The school is described as caring and supportive, with a strong emphasis on the well-being of its pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Additionally, pupils achieve well academically, particularly in English and mathematics, demonstrating resilience and a positive attitude towards learning. However, the school is facing challenges related to pupil attendance, which is a focus for improvement among staff and leadership. The teaching of phonics also requires attention to ensure consistency and effectiveness across year groups.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy a supportive and caring school environment.
• Outstanding personal development and encouragement for diversity.
• Pupils achieve well in English and mathematics.
• Strong focus on mental health and well-being support for pupils.
• Effective leadership prioritizes staff training and development.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in phonics teaching need addressing.
• Pupils' attendance, particularly among disadvantaged groups, remains a concern.
• Curriculum plans in some subjects lack the intended impact on knowledge retention.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Northcote Primary School attended 92.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.9% of pupils at Northcote Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Northcote Primary School had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 23.4% of pupils at Northcote Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Northcote Primary School received £7,848 and spent £7,456 for each of its 432 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £386,000 (£894 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

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What is Northcote Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Northcote Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Northcote Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Northcote Primary School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Northcote Primary School have?

Northcote Primary School has 445 pupils on roll.

What age range does Northcote Primary School cover?

Northcote Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Northcote Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Northcote Primary School?

Northcote Primary School is at Cavendish Drive, Walton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 1HW.