School profile

St John Plessington Catholic College

Secondary · Academy converter · Wirral, CH63 7LF

Good

Map showing St John Plessington Catholic College

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,735 of 3,312

Worse than 82% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#2,133 of 2,536

Worse than 84% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St John Plessington Catholic College Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 22 Nov 2022

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,556
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Peadar McLoughlin
TrustHOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityWirral
Opened01 Dec 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139031.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolWirralEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.39.4, worse than England, worse than Wirral45.646.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.52.8%, worse than England, worse than Wirral63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.32.1%, worse than England, worse than Wirral44.6%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.2.3%, worse than England, worse than Wirral14.6%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths48.3%, worse than England, worse than Wirral59.1%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4265--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolWirralEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.27.16, worse than England, worse than Wirral35.3735
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels29.13, worse than England, worse than Wirral36.9735.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC--
AAB or better4.3%, worse than England, worse than Wirral16.3%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.2, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study108--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,556
Girls682
Boys874
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.39.7%
First language not English13.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,687
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.7.8%
Sixth form places2024/25240
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.153
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.73
Average class size21.3

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
79.6%
Indian
5.2%
Other White
3.2%
African
2.2%
Other ethnic group
2.1%
Other Asian
1.7%
White and Black African
1.2%
Other mixed
0.9%
White and Asian
0.8%
Chinese
0.7%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10
Teachers (FTE)101.96
Teaching assistants (FTE)38.85
Support staff (FTE)75.02
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25101.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2587.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/258
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.207
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.460
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.195
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.195
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)4

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolWirralEngland
Overall absence9.1%, worse than England, similar to Wirral8.7%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.25.1%, worse than England, similar to Wirral23.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.5%, worse than England, worse than Wirral3.7%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate18.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.91.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.80.3%
School sixth form39.8%
Further education25.7%
Sixth form college14.9%
Apprenticeship8.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.9%
Employment2.6%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82.6%
Higher education47%
Employment26.1%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.14.8%
Apprenticeship8.7%
Further education0.9%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St John Plessington Catholic College
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimarySt John's Catholic Infant SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.1 miPrimarySt John's Catholic Junior SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.2 miPrimarySt Andrew's CofE Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.3 miPrimaryGrove Street Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt Anne's Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.5 miSecondaryCo-op Academy BebingtonAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miPrimaryChurch Drive Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryBrackenwood Infant SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.6 miPrimaryTown Lane Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryBrackenwood Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St John Plessington Catholic College

What is St John Plessington Catholic College's Ofsted rating?

St John Plessington Catholic College is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 22 Nov 2022.

How does St John Plessington Catholic College rank in England?

St John Plessington Catholic College ranks 2,735 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 82% of schools) and 2,133 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 84% of schools).

What are St John Plessington Catholic College's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 32.1% of pupils at St John Plessington Catholic College got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 39.4 (England 46.2).

What are St John Plessington Catholic College's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St John Plessington Catholic College was C-, and 4.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St John Plessington Catholic College?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St John Plessington Catholic College made 207 offers from 460 applications (2.2 per offer), and 195 of 195 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St John Plessington Catholic College?

St John Plessington Catholic College has 1,556 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St John Plessington Catholic College?

St John Plessington Catholic College had 1,687 school places in 2024/25.

Does St John Plessington Catholic College have a sixth form?

Yes, St John Plessington Catholic College has a sixth form with 240 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St John Plessington Catholic College?

At St John Plessington Catholic College, the average class had 21.3 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St John Plessington Catholic College?

In 2025/26, pupils at St John Plessington Catholic College missed 9.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 25.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.