Holy Souls Catholic Primary School
102%
Capacity
305
Pupils
2.8x
Demand
About Holy Souls Catholic Primary School
Holy Souls Catholic Primary School is a popular choice among Birmingham families, with 72 applications chasing just 26 places for the 2025/26 intake, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.77. Of those applicants, 20 put the school as their first preference, and all 20 received offers, suggesting that while competition is real, those who prioritise the school stand a strong chance. Parent satisfaction signals are positive, though the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across every category — behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and early years provision all scored 2. This marks a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2018, when the school was rated Inadequate overall. The current headteacher, Rachel Girling, has clearly driven improvement, and the school now feels like a stable, well-regarded option for local Catholic families.
Academically, Holy Souls sits in a challenging position within Birmingham's primary landscape. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 51% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Birmingham local authority average of 63%. The school ranks 208th out of 254 primary schools in the LA, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, reading and maths both had 61% of pupils at the expected standard, with average scores of 104 and 103 respectively. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard is low — just 4% across all three subjects, 21% in maths and 30% in reading. Writing is a particular weakness, with only 5% achieving the higher standard. The school serves a community with 38% of pupils eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average, and this context likely plays a role in the results.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, music rooms, and a forest school, plus a chapel reflecting its Roman Catholic character. Sports include football, cross country, dance and cricket, while clubs like Eco Club, Gardening, Book Club and Science Club provide enrichment. For families with children who have additional needs, Holy Souls has a broad SEND offer covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is wise. It suits families who value a faith-based primary with strong pastoral care and a clear improvement trajectory, and who are comfortable with results that reflect a high-needs intake rather than top-tier academic outcomes.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Mallard Close, Birmingham, Birmingham, B27 6BN |
| Headteacher | Rachel Girling |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 305 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 38.0% |
| School Capacity | 305 / 300 (102% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Oct 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (51%)
10427th of 13,686
Nationally
1079th of 1,378
In West Midlands
208th of 254
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
51%
Expected Standard
4%
Higher Standard
'22/23
37%
'23/24
51%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed26
72
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
20 families put this school as their 1st choice (28% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British47.5%
- White (other)17.0%
- Mixed12.8%
- Asian9.8%
- Black1.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
13
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
11
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Souls Catholic Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Mallard Close, Birmingham
Birmingham, B27 6BN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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