Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School

About Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School

Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in Dudley, West Midlands, serving 205 pupils aged 4 to 11. In the local authority's primary school rankings, it sits 14th out of 69 schools, placing it comfortably in the top 50 nationally for its key stage 2 outcomes. The three highest-ranked peers in Dudley are Manor Way Primary Academy, Blowers Green Primary School, and Tenterfields Primary Academy, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Lapal Primary School, 2.4 kilometres away. Our Lady and St Kenelm itself was rated Good overall in its most recent graded inspection in 2021, a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2013. However, inspectors awarded Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes, suggesting strong pastoral care and pupil conduct remain real strengths.

Academically, the school performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Dudley average of 59%. Reading was a particular highlight, with 90% of pupils meeting the expected standard and 43% reaching the higher standard. In maths, 77% met the expected standard and 23% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 106. Writing saw 83% at expected and 20% at the higher level. The school's overall ranking score of 70 is based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in all three subjects. While progress scores are not available in the data, the attainment figures show the school comfortably outperforms its local authority peers, and its national percentile of roughly 31 means it sits above the median for primary schools across England.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 54 applications for 30 places, with 26 first-preference offers made from 26 first-preference applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.93. Facilities include a sensory room, forest school, chapel, library, sports hall and gymnasium, with clubs covering chess, drama and eco activities. Sports offered include cross country, gymnastics, rounders, tennis and athletics. The school has identified SEND provisions for pupils with specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, social and emotional challenges, and autistic spectrum disorder. With a relatively small roll and a faith-based character, this school will particularly suit Catholic families in Dudley who prioritise strong behaviour, good personal development and above-average academic outcomes, though its oversubscription means early application is essential.

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