Best Primary Schools in St. Helens 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 54 schools across St. Helens. Updated with 2025–26 data.

St. Helens has 54 open primary schools. Of the 54 with a published Ofsted inspection, 11 (20%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 87% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in St. Helens follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

54
Total schools
11
Outstanding (historic grade)
20%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
62.7%
Avg KS2 SATs
30.1
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 86 View school
🥈 St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 84 View school
🥉 Grange Valley Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 83 View school
4. Garswood Primary and Nursery School
Primary
 Outstanding 83 View school
5. Bleak Hill Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 80 View school
6. St John Vianney Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
7. Eaves Primary School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
8. St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 79 View school
9. Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens
Primary
 Outstanding 79 View school
10. St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 79 View school
11. Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 77 View school
12. Queen's Park CofE/Urc Primary School
Primary
 Good 76 View school
13. Rainford CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 75 View school
14. St Theresa's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 75 View school
15. Thatto Heath Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
16. Billinge Chapel End Primary School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
17. Eccleston Mere Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
18. St James' Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 73 View school
19. Allanson Street Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
20. St Aidan's CofE Primary School Billinge
Primary
 Requires Improvement 71 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for St. Helens

Best primary schools in St. HelensTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in St. HelensTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in St. HelensPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in St. HelensYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WiganCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HaltonCompare neighbouring authority

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in St. Helens?
There are 54 open primary schools in St. Helens (closed schools are excluded). 11 of the 54 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in St. Helens?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in St. Helens is St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in St. Helens?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in St. Helens?
Primary and secondary applications in St. Helens are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the St. Helens council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.