Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School

About Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School

Margaret Roper Catholic Primary School, a state primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11 in Croydon, holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023. The inspection report is particularly striking for two Outstanding grades: behaviour and attitudes, and early years provision. This suggests a school where children settle well from the start and conduct themselves impressively as they move through the years. The school’s academic story is best told by its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 cohort. A very strong 83% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, placing the school 8th out of 77 primary schools in Croydon and in the top 10% nationally. This comfortably beats the local authority average of 66% for the same measure, and it is a clear indicator of consistent, solid teaching across the core subjects.

Digging into the detail of those KS2 results, the school’s performance is particularly strong in reading and maths. 93% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths, with 62% and 59% respectively reaching the higher standard in those subjects. Average scaled scores of 110 in reading and 111 in maths are well above the national benchmark of 100. Writing is a relative area for development, with 83% at expected and 17% at the higher standard, though this still matches the combined expected rate. The Ofsted report backs this up, rating the quality of education as Good, with leadership and management also Good. The school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections (the previous one was in 2014), showing sustained, reliable performance rather than a recent jump in quality.

The school is a popular choice in the area, receiving 105 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, an oversubscription ratio of 3.5 to 1. 27 of those offers went to first-preference families. Facilities include a chapel, sports hall, playing fields and an ICT suite, and the school offers a range of sports from football and swimming to gymnastics and dance. Clubs include book, science and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. With a below-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 14.5%, and a capacity of 226 against 214 pupils on roll, there is some room in the school, though demand clearly outstrips supply. This is a faith school that delivers strong academic results and a well-regarded environment, particularly suited to Catholic families in Croydon who prioritise good behaviour and a structured start to school life.

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