This Friday, Year Six pupils across England and Wales will find out whether they will be attending their first choice secondary schools, in September.
Councils across Liverpool and Merseyside will send offers of secondary school places from Friday, March 1, after applications closed on in October. Places will be sent to parents via email, in the majority of cases.
As parents prepare to see whether their children have been accepted to start their dream schools, we have created a list of all of the 'top' secondary schools in Liverpool, which currently hold Ofsted's highest 'outstanding' mark.
While concerns have been shared regarding Ofsted's single-word judgements, alongside calls for reform, they are currently one way by which parents decide which schools to send their children to. As of February 29, 2024, 11 secondary schools* in Liverpool are rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the top ranking out of four possible outcomes, with 'inadequate' being the lowest mark. See if your child's preferred secondary school is featured below.
Please note, some schools featured in this list have not been inspected for a number of years.
5. Lakeside School, Liverpool
Published in December 2019, the Ofsted report for Lakeside School states: “Pupils love coming to Lakeside School. Their attendance is excellent and they are proud to be Lakeside pupils. Pupils said that staff are kind and caring and always make them feel safe. Bullying is very rare. Pupils know that they can talk to staff if they are worried, secure in the knowledge that any concerns will be dealt with immediately." Additional inspections took place in 2022 and 2023. | Google Street View Photo: Google Street View
6. LIPA Sixth Form College, Liverpool
Published in April 2019, the Ofsted report for LIPA Sixth Form College reads: “Students benefit significantly from an extensive range of additional activities, including masterclasses with high-profile professional musicians, actors, directors and dancers. They frequently participate in live performances across the city and in national competitions." | Google Street View Photo: Google Street View
7. Liverpool College, Liverpool
Published in December 2019, the Ofsted report for Liverpool College reads: “Pupils receive a top-quality education at this school. From a four-year-old child in Reception to an 18-year old student in the sixth form, pupils have an amazing array of opportunities for development and enrichment. As a result of a first-rate education, pupils develop into polite, mature, articulate young people who are well prepared to contribute to wider society. Pupils thrive in this school.” | Google Street View Photo: Google Street View
8. Palmerston School, Liverpool
Published in January 2020, the Ofsted report for Palmerston School states: “Pupils love coming to Palmerston School. This is reflected in their high attendance and exemplary behaviour. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they are happy and feel safe in school. They reported that bullying is not an issue. If it does occur, they said that it is dealt with quickly.” | Google Street View Photo: Google Street View