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School profile Verified 18 August 2026

Sefton Private schools

Merchant Taylors' Schools

186 Liverpool Road, Crosby, L23 0QP

Merchant Taylors' Schools is a private secondary-stage school in Liverpool, Merseyside, with a published age range of 4-18.

Private school Co-ed Ages 4-18 Sixth form No boarders
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
4-18
ISI ?
Standards met
Boarding ?
No boarders
Compare Official website Map

On this page

At a glance

Key facts

Sector
Private school
Gender
Mixed
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
4-18
Boarding ?
No boarders
Route check
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
ISI ?
Standards met

Overview

John Harrison founded Merchant Taylors' Schools in 1620 through his connection with the Merchant Taylors' Company; the boys' school moved to its present site in 1878 and a girls' school followed in 1888. That history distinguishes the Crosby institution from Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood. Today the former senior schools are together as a co-educational school alongside the Prep and Sixth Form, covering ages 4 to 18 with no boarding.

The structure remains multi-site. The senior school occupies the Harrison Site, while Merchant Taylors' Prep is at the Stanfield Site. This is paired with an expanded co-curricular programme and improved facilities, including the Ian Robinson Sports Centre, the Vitreum entrance and art gallery, music, drama and the Combined Cadet Force.

The result is a school with a strong historical identity but a current organisation that brings different phases into one co-educational journey. Sport, visual art, music, drama and cadet activity give the wider programme several distinct forms, while the Prep, senior and Sixth Form stages retain their own practical character.

Admission is handled directly and separated by stage. The current policy sets out different procedures for Prep, senior and Sixth Form entry, together with entry requirements, scholarships and bursaries. Age and intended phase therefore determine the route, rather than a single application process, and the Crosby identity should not be confused with the Northwood school of the same historic company.

Key points
Assessment route
Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
Places and demand
Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
Catchment
Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
Results
0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 21.4 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 27.1% AAB or better.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Sefton and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Merchant Taylors' Schools, Sefton, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
21.4
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
EBacc APS
1.34
EBacc entry
0%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Sefton and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Merchant Taylors' Schools, Sefton, and England. 60 40 20 0 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

School details
Sector
Private school
School type
Other independent school
Funding
Independent fee-paying
Application
Apply direct to school
Gender
Mixed
Age range
4-18
Headteacher
Mr Philip Dearden
Pupil roll
844 pupils
Sixth form
Yes

Location and contact

Address

Address
186 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool, Merseyside
Postcode
L23 0QP
Area
Sefton

School leadership

Headteacher
Mr Philip Dearden

School contact

School phone
01519283308

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions phone
01519283308
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Application route
Apply direct to school
Age range
4-18
Gender
Mixed
Boarding
No boarders
Day fees
Check school fees page
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries
Entrance details
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
Admissions note
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.

Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.

Oversubscription and eligibility

Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.

Exam and test format

Entrance route and assessment

Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.

Assessment route
Apply direct to school

Application

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply direct to the school

    Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

    Check school admissions

Results

Attainment snapshot

Attainment 8 ?
21.4 Attainment 8
GCSE results
0% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?
0% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?
1.34 EBacc APS
A-level results
27.1% AAB or better
A-level average points
37.95 A-level points per entry

Inspection
View report
Standards met

Latest inspection: 28 April 2026

Leadership, management and governance
Standards met
Quality of education, training and recreation
Standards met
Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
Standards met
Social and economic education and contribution to society
Standards met
Safeguarding
Standards met

Quick summary

  • Latest ISI report: Routine Inspection - 2026 records an inspection beginning 28 April 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.

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Nearby schools with similar results

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Shortlist comparisons

Compare Merchant Taylors' Schools with St. Mary's College Compare Merchant Taylors' Schools with Birkenhead School Compare Merchant Taylors' Schools with Scarisbrick Hall School

Explore this school in context

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Related pages and guides

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Merchant Taylors' Schools handle admissions?

Merchant Taylors' Schools handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.

How do I apply to Merchant Taylors' Schools?

1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

When are the key dates for Merchant Taylors' Schools?

Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Merchant Taylors' Schools?

Merchant Taylors' Schools is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 28 April 2026.