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Director of Children's Services: Jenny Glennard
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School-age population

Table of school-age population
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool1 % National1
Primary-age pupils (ages 5 to 11) 39,557 7.8% 8.2%
Secondary-age pupils (ages 12 to 16) 26,570 5.2% 6.2%

Mid-year population estimates, Office for National Statistics, NOMIS, published 11 September 2025

Disadvantaged

Population of looked-after-children

In Liverpool, 1.2% of children ages 5 to 9 and 1.7% of children ages 10 to 15 are looked after compared to 0.4% and 0.7% nationally, respectively.

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Chart showing the population of looked-after-children

Table showing the population of looked-after-children

Table of population of looked-after-children
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool1 % National1
Ages 5 to 9 354 1.2% 0.4%
Ages 10 to 15 547 1.7% 0.7%

Children looked after in England including adoptions, Department for Education, published 29 December 2025

Pupils eligible for free school meals

In Liverpool, 37% of pupils are eligible for free school meals compared to 27% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table showing the population of pupils eligible for free school meals

Table of pupils eligible for free school meals
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool % National
Primary 13,822 36% 25%
Secondary 10,615 38% 29%
Alternative provision 104 74% 67%
Special 1,228 61% 51%
Non-maintained special 26 23% 31%
Total 25,795 37% 27%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils eligible for pupil premium

In Liverpool, 41% of pupils are eligible for pupil premium compared to 30% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils eligible for pupil premium

Table showing the population of pupils eligible for pupil premium

Table of pupils eligible for pupil premium
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
Primary 13,866 35% 25%
Secondary 12,182 42% 31%
Other 1,968 – –
Total 28,017 41% 30%

Pupil premium: allocations and conditions of grant 2026 to 2027, Education and Skills Funding Agency and Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

In Liverpool, 27% of pupils have SEN support or an EHC plan compared to 21% nationally.

27% of pupils are either receiving SEN support or have an EHC plan, placing Liverpool among the top 10% of areas in England.

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Chart showing the population of pupils with SEN support or an EHC plan

Table showing the population of pupils with SEN support or an EHC plan

Table of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool % National
Primary 10,032 24% 19%
Secondary 7,701 23% 18%
Alternative provision 164 48% 85%
Special 2,280 100% 100%
Non-maintained special 128 100% 100%
Total 20,944 27% 21%

Special educational needs in England, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Pupils with English as an additional language

In Liverpool, 23% of pupils have English as an additional language compared to 22% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils with English as additional language

Table showing the population of pupils with English as additional language

Table of pupils with English as an additional language
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool % National
Primary 10,614 26% 24%
Secondary 6,467 19% 19%
Alternative provision 16 4.6% 7.1%
Special 306 13% 15%
Non-maintained special 6 4.7% 11%
Total 17,409 23% 22%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 14 October 2026

Children being home educated

In Liverpool, 1.4% of pupils are being home educated compared to 1.5% nationally.

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Chart showing the population of pupils being home educated

Table showing the population of pupils being home educated

Table showing number and percentage of children being home educated
Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool % National
Primary 260 0.7% 0.8%
Secondary 650 2.5% 2.5%
Total 910 1.4% 1.5%
More details about the children being home educated numbers
Local authority data in the source dataset has been rounded to the nearest 10. As a result totals may not equal the sum of their component parts.
Elective home education, Department for Education, published 6 February 2026

Population receiving education outside of their local authority

Table of population receiving education outside of their local authority
Number outside of Liverpool % outside of Liverpool2 % National2
Primary 1,676 4.4% 4.1%
Secondary 1,841 6.9% 8.7%
Special 63 3.4% 9.0%

Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Department for Education, published 3 December 2025

Attainment

Primary

For all pupils taking key stage 2 reading, writing and maths, 58% of children met the expected standard, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.
Year 1 phonics screening pass Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
All pupils 4,145 80% 82%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 1,115 70% 68%
Pupils with SEND 686 54% 46%
Pupils with English as an additional language 1,060 79% 82%

Phonics screening check attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Year 4 times table check (full marks) Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
All pupils 1,889 32% 37%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 576 24% 27%
Pupils with SEND 271 17% 16%
Pupils with English as an additional language 521 41% 45%

Multiplication tables check attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Key stage 2 reading, writing, maths combined (met the expected standard) Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
All pupils 3,453 58% 63%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 1,184 46% 48%
Pupils with SEND 566 32% 26%
Pupils with English as an additional language 812 57% 66%

Key stage 2 attainment, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Secondary

The Attainment 8 score is 42.1, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.
Attainment 8 Average in Liverpool2 National average2
All pupils 42.1 46.0
Pupils eligible for free school meals 31.9 35.0
Pupils with SEND 27.3 28.2

Key stage 4 performance, Department for Education, published 29 October 2026

Attendance

The weekly attendance rate places primary (94%) and secondary (90%) schools in the bottom 10% of all areas in England.
attendance of all pupils up to week 43 of calendar year
Attendance of all pupils up to week 43 of calendar year % in Liverpool2 % National2
Primary 94% 94%
Secondary 90% 92%
Special 86% 86%

Pupil attendance (weekly - week 43), Department for Education, published 10 November 2026

attendance of all pupils eligible for free school meals (spring term)
Attendance of pupils eligible for free school meals (spring term) % in Liverpool2 % National2
Primary 92% 92%
Secondary 85% 87%
Special 84% 85%

Pupil attendance in schools by FSM and SEN - Spring term, Department for Education, published 11 October 2026

attendance of pupils with send (spring term)
Attendance of pupils with send (spring term) % in Liverpool2 % National2
Primary 92% 92%
Secondary 84% 85%
Special 87% 87%

Pupil attendance in schools by FSM and SEN - Spring term, Department for Education, published 11 October 2026

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Suspensions

Primary school suspensions
Suspensions (from primary schools) Number in Liverpool Rate per 100 pupils in Liverpool3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 731 1.8 2.5
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 399 1.0 1.1
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 281 2.0 2.6
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 315 3.3 4.7
Secondary school suspensions
Suspensions (from secondary schools) Number in Liverpool Rate per 100 pupils in Liverpool3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 11,032 32.9 21.2
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 3,386 10.1 7.3
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 2,188 19.9 15.6
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 1,307 18.4 16.4
Special school suspensions
Suspensions (from special schools) Number in Liverpool Rate per 100 pupils in Liverpool3 Rate per 100 pupils National3
Total number of suspensions 232 10.6 12.3
Total pupils with one or more suspensions 100 4.5 5.1
Pupils with one or more suspensions who are eligible for free school meals 86 6.9 7.3
Pupils with one or more suspensions with SEND 100 4.5 5.1
More details about suspensions from state-funded primary schools and totals not summing
Suspensions data on total number of pupils may not match, as a change in a pupil’s category within the same term results in them being counted separately under each category. For example, if a pupil receives multiple suspensions while classified as not having SEN, and then receives additional suspensions after being reclassified as receiving SEN support during the same term, they will be recorded as two separate enrolments in the data.

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Department for Education, published 8 July 2026

Permanent exclusions

Primary school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from primary schools) Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 29 0.1% 0%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 28 0.2% 0.1%
Pupils with SEND 28 0.3% 0.2%
Secondary school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from secondary schools) Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 170 0.5% 0.2%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 133 1.2% 0.6%
Pupils with SEND 97 1.4% 0.7%
Special school permanent exclusions
Exclusions (from special schools) Number in Liverpool % in Liverpool2 % National2
Total number of pupils excluded 1 0.1% 0.1%
Pupils eligible for free school meals 1 0.1% 0.1%
Pupils with SEND 1 0.1% 0.1%

Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Department for Education, published 8 July 2026

1. % of all children in Liverpool / England.

2. % of all pupils in state-funded settings across Liverpool / England.

3. Rate per 100 pupils in state-funded settings across Liverpool / England.