Paston Ridings Primary School

About Paston Ridings Primary School

Paston Ridings Primary School in Peterborough is a mixed state primary for children aged 4 to 11, currently teaching 369 pupils against a capacity of 480. That leaves some physical room to grow, but the school is already oversubscribed for Reception places in the 2025/26 admissions round. With 29 first-preference applications for 29 places and a total of 39 applications, the oversubscription ratio sits at 1.34, meaning demand is solid but not frantic. What really stands out is the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals: 52.8 per cent. That is well above the national average for primary schools and signals a catchment with significant economic disadvantage. The school’s religious character is listed as ‘does not apply’, so there is no faith-based admissions criteria. Headteacher Colette Firth leads a school that, based on its intake profile, is serving a community with higher-than-average levels of deprivation, and the oversubscription figures suggest local families are actively choosing it despite that context.

Academically, Paston Ridings sits in the middle of the pack locally. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 56 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is just below the Peterborough local authority average of 59 per cent, and places the school 31st out of 53 primaries in the area. Nationally, it ranks in the 66th percentile, so it is performing broadly in line with the typical English primary. Individual subject scores are more mixed: 69 per cent met the expected standard in maths, with an average scaled score of 103, while reading and writing expected rates were 65 per cent and 63 per cent respectively. The proportion hitting the higher standard is low — 21 per cent in maths and 29 per cent in reading, with no pupils recorded at the higher level in writing or the combined measure. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2024, confirmed it remains Good overall, with Good ratings for early years provision, leadership and management, and the quality of education. That is an improvement from its 2016 inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for a primary, including a library, playing fields, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision is strong, with football, netball, gymnastics, cricket, tennis, swimming and rounders all on offer. There are also several clubs: science, eco, book and art. For families with children who have additional needs, Paston Ridings has a broad SEND offer, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. That breadth suggests the school is well set up to support a diverse intake. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Fulbridge Academy, just 1.1 km away, which may be worth a look for families who want a higher Ofsted grade. But for those prioritising a Good-rated school with strong SEND provision, a wide sports programme and a clear sense of community purpose, Paston Ridings is a practical, well-subscribed local option.

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