Holy Rood Catholic Primary School

About Holy Rood Catholic Primary School

Holy Rood Catholic Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 108 applications for just 39 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.77. Every one of those 39 first-preference applicants was offered a place, which suggests that for families who put it top of their list, the school is a realistic option despite the competition. Parent satisfaction data isn't published directly, but the high demand is itself a strong signal of the school's reputation in Swindon. The school is a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with headteacher Naomi Fry at the helm. It currently has 393 pupils on roll, just shy of its 420 capacity, and 12.7 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly below the national average.

Academically, Holy Rood performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 82 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Swindon local authority average of just 62 per cent. This places the school 5th out of 51 primary schools in the area, putting it in the top 10 per cent locally. Nationally, it ranks 1,158th out of 13,686 schools, again in the top 10 per cent. Subject-level scores are strong too: average scaled scores of 108 in both reading and maths, with 42 per cent of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading and 32 per cent in maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated it Good across all five categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This is a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a chapel, forest school, music rooms, art studios, a sports hall, and playing fields. Sports on offer include netball, gymnastics, tennis, athletics, and swimming, while clubs extend to chess, gardening, and coding. For children with additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Holy Rood is a day school only, with no nursery provision. Given its strong academic record, oversubscribed status, and Catholic character, this school will particularly suit families who prioritise high attainment and a faith-based setting, and who are comfortable with the competitive admissions process. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is The Croft Primary School, 1.4 km away, for those also considering alternatives.

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