Catherine Junior School

About Catherine Junior School

Catherine Junior School is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11 in Leicester, and it is running very close to full capacity. With 474 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 480, there is almost no slack in the system, which suggests that securing a place here is competitive for families in the area. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 23.2%, which is notably higher than the national average for primary schools (typically around 20-22%), indicating that the school serves a community with above-average levels of economic disadvantage. Despite this, the school has maintained a Good rating from Ofsted in its most recent inspection in 2023, a grade it has held consistently across both its 2018 and 2023 inspections. The school is non-religious and mixed, and it sits within the Leicester local authority, where only five out of 82 primary schools have achieved an Outstanding rating.

Academically, Catherine Junior School's performance is mixed when compared with local and national benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 47% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is well below the Leicester local authority average of 62%. This places the school 57th out of 68 primary schools in the city, putting it in the bottom half of the local rankings. Looking at individual subjects, 74% of pupils reached the expected standard in maths, 68% in reading and 62% in writing. At the higher standard, the picture is more challenging: just 2% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and only 17% did so in maths alone. Average scaled scores were 103 in both reading and maths, which is exactly the national average, so while the school is not underperforming dramatically, it is not pushing many pupils into the top tiers of attainment.

The school offers a solid range of facilities and provisions that will appeal to families looking for a broad primary experience. On site, there are art studios, a library, a sports hall, a gymnasium, playing fields and a forest school, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include swimming, tennis, gymnastics, football, cross country and rounders, and there is a decent selection of clubs covering drama, gardening, coding, science and choir. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school is oversubscribed in practice given its near-full capacity, so parents should be prepared to apply early and live within the catchment area. It is a good fit for families who value a supportive, inclusive environment with strong pastoral care, but who are also realistic about academic outcomes being in line with or slightly below the local average.

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