English, maths and verbal reasoning are assessed.
What the test includes
- English
- Maths
- Verbal reasoning
School profile
Record updated 27 October 2026
A selective boys grammar school in Prenton, Merseyside, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 985 pupils on roll.
Grammar school Boys Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form St Anselm’s College Entrance Examination
- 2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
- UK Rank #141
- Year 7 places
- 156
- Competition ?
- Lower (estimated)
- Ofsted ?
- Good
- 11+ route
- St Anselm’s College Entrance Examination
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- 2025–2026 GCSE rank ?
- UK Rank #141
- Sector
- Grammar school
- Admissions
- Boys only
- Assessment
- St Anselm’s College Entrance Examination
- Places in Year 7
- 156
- Competition ?
- Lower (estimated)
- Catchment
- You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
- Ofsted ?
- Good
Overview
Overview
St Anselm's College is a selective Catholic grammar school for boys in Prenton, with a sixth form and about 985 pupils. Founded in 1933 by the Christian Brothers to educate local boys, it remains closely tied to the Edmund Rice tradition and to its motto, Fides Quaerens Intellectum - faith seeking understanding.
The school presents Catholic life as more than a religious studies department. Its mission statement speaks about developing God-given talents, recognising Christ in the community and respecting human dignity; its Catholic ethos pages connect that to service, worship, the wider Church and action for others. That gives St Anselm's a clear identity among Wirral selective schools.
Academically, the school combines grammar-school expectations with a pastoral and spiritual framework. Sixth form, personal development, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh, sport and charitable activity all appear in official school life, while published outcomes show Good Ofsted, 90.6% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 21.5% AAB or better at A level.
Year 7 entry has 156 places. Applicants sit the school's entrance examination in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning, and the policy does not publish a fixed qualifying score. If more boys meet the required standard than places are available, the oversubscription rules are strongly shaped by Catholic status, looked-after priority and the relevant-area categories, so baptism evidence and the local-authority preference form both matter.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- St Anselm’s College Entrance Examination covering English, Maths and Verbal reasoning.
- Places and demand
- 156 places in Year 7 and Lower (estimated)
- Catchment
- You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
- Results
- 88% grade 5+ in English and maths and 63.1 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 21.8% AAB or better and 56.1% in higher education.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2025/26 KS4 measures compared with Wirral and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 63.1
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 88%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Wirral and England.
School Local authority England
Destinations
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Wirral and England.
Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown
School details
School details
- Sector
- Grammar school
- School type
- Academy converter
- Application
- Local authority CAF
- Gender
- Boys only
- Age range
- 11-18
- Headteacher
- Serena Cubbin
- Pupil roll
- 1,002 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Trust
- The Laetare Catholic Multi Academy Trust
- FSM ?
- 11%
- EAL ?
- 7.3%
- EHCP ?
- 1.1%
Extracurriculars
Duke of Edinburgh
School statistics
School statistics
Ethnicity
Ethnicity
Pupil ethnicity
Whole-school roll of 1,002 pupils; 995 had a recorded ethnic group.
White 841 pupils, 83.9%
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Asian 74 pupils, 7.4%
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Mixed 49 pupils, 4.9%
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Black 31 pupils, 3.1%
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Unclassified 7 pupils, 0.7%
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Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Manor Hill, Prenton, Merseyside
- Postcode
- CH43 1UQ
- Area
- Wirral
- Exam area
- Wirral 11+
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Serena Cubbin
School contact
- School email
- reception@st-anselms.com
- School phone
- 01516521408
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@st-anselms.com
- Admissions phone
- 01516521408
Admissions
Admissions
- Year 7 places
- 156 places
- Applications listed
- 320 applications (2026 entry)
- First preferences
- 155 first preferences (2026 entry)
- Competition ?
- Lower (estimated)
- Catchment
- You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
- Published score basis
- Selective standard first; no published numeric threshold (2026 entry)
- Pass mark note
- Applicants must reach the required standard in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning. No fixed numeric qualifying score is published.
Residence in the relevant area is used within the oversubscription criteria, alongside faith category and the entrance-test standard.
Oversubscription and eligibility
-
1
EHCP and required standard
Boys who reach the required standard and have an Education, Health and Care Plan are offered a place first.
-
2
Baptised Catholic looked-after boys
Baptised Catholic looked-after and previously looked-after boys have first priority if more applicants reach the required standard than places available.
-
3
Baptised Catholic boys in the relevant area
Baptised Catholic boys living in Wirral, Cheshire West and Chester, or another area within 10 miles of the college are prioritised next.
-
4
Other looked-after boys
Other looked-after and previously looked-after boys are prioritised after the Catholic relevant-area category.
-
5
Baptised Christian boys in the relevant area
Baptised Christian non-Catholic boys living in the relevant area are prioritised next.
-
6
Other boys seeking Catholic education
Remaining non-baptised boys whose parents want a Catholic education are considered after the listed priority groups.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Official exam resources
Past papers and practice materials
No released past entrance-test papers are currently verified here. The resources below are labelled by type.
Wirral test guideFree parent account
Open the exam resources
Create a free parent account to open the official papers, sample questions and guidance listed here.
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Registration closes
31 July 2026
PastSpecial-access supporting documentation is due by the same date.
-
Entrance examination
18 September 2026 (previously provisional)
Check the allocated date on your entrance-test invitation.
-
Special access examination
19 September 2026
PastThis date is for candidates granted special access arrangements.
How to apply
- 1
Register for the entrance examination
Complete the online registration form and provide any special-access documentation by 31 July 2026.
Open registration page - 2
Send baptism evidence where relevant
Catholic or Christian applicants need baptism evidence for the relevant oversubscription categories.
Open step - 3
Submit the local authority preference form
Entrance-test registration is separate from the local authority secondary-school application.
Open policy
Results
Results
Inspection
Inspection
Good
Latest inspection: 4 July 2019
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
Quick summary
- Overall effectiveness: St Anselm's College remains recorded as Good, and the 2025 ungraded inspection found it had maintained the previous standards. The report describes a welcoming, inclusive community with strong relationships, high attendance, broad enrichment and some remaining variation in curriculum delivery.
- Quality of education: The curriculum is broad and ambitious, with deeper key stage 3 study and at least one modern foreign language required at key stage 4. In a minority of subjects, teaching methods and checks on learning were less precise, leaving some gaps.
- Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils behave very well in classrooms, around the school, in playgrounds and in garden areas. Attendance is high, and pastoral leaders work closely with the small number of families who need help improving regular attendance.
- Personal development: Inspectors called personal development the school's standout strength. Pupils benefit from sport, music, language trips, art clubs, debating, careers advice and an exceptional enrichment programme, while sixth-form students act as role models and take extensive leadership opportunities.
- Leadership and management: Trustees and leaders were credited with sustaining the school's performance and considering staff workload and well-being. Leaders communicate openly with parents, act swiftly when behaviour falls short and have strengthened reading support for the few pupils who need it.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
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Calday Grange Grammar School
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Saint Ambrose College
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
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Lancaster Royal Grammar School
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Borden Grammar School
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
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Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which entrance tests does St Anselm's College use?
For September 2027 entry, St Anselm's College uses St Anselm’s College Entrance Examination. Check the named test and any alternative or later-stage requirements in the admissions policy.
How do I apply to St Anselm's College?
1. Register for the entrance examination: Complete the online registration form and provide any special-access documentation by 31 July 2026. 2. Send baptism evidence where relevant: Catholic or Christian applicants need baptism evidence for the relevant oversubscription categories. 3. Submit the local authority preference form: Entrance-test registration is separate from the local authority secondary-school application.
When are the key dates for St Anselm's College?
Registration closes: 31 July 2026. Entrance examination: 18 September 2026 (previously provisional). Special access examination: 19 September 2026
What does the latest inspection picture look like for St Anselm's College?
St Anselm's College is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 4 July 2019.