Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

About Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School sits slightly below the Richmond upon Thames local authority average for the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2. The school’s figure of 74% compares with an LA average of 76%, placing it 23rd out of 38 primary schools in the borough. That’s a respectable mid-table position, though it’s worth noting that the top three schools in the area all achieve ranking scores above 90, so competition is stiff. The school’s overall Ofsted rating is Good, a grade it has held consistently across its two most recent graded inspections. The most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that the school remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. The school is a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with a nursery provision on site. With 171 pupils against a capacity of 240, it is not at full roll, and 18.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, Sacred Heart’s performance is a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, maths and writing individually is 83% in each case, which is solid. However, the combined measure of all three subjects drops to 74%, suggesting that while most children meet the benchmark in each subject, a smaller group manages it across the board. At the higher standard, 26% of pupils achieved the higher threshold in all three subjects, with reading leading at 39%, followed by maths and writing both at 30%. Average scaled scores in reading and maths are both 108, which is above the national average of 100. Nationally, the school ranks in the 21st percentile for the combined expected standard, and within London it sits in the 38th percentile. Compared with the previous Ofsted inspection in 2012, the school has maintained its Good rating, though the 2006 inspection had rated early years provision as Requires Improvement.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 73 applications for 23 places and 20 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.17. That suggests strong local demand, particularly from Catholic families, given the religious character. Facilities include a gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, a forest school area, a chapel, and an ICT suite. Sports on offer include football, cricket, swimming and cross country, while clubs range from chess and choir to science and film club. The school’s SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Collis Primary School, just 0.3 km away. Sacred Heart would suit families who value a faith-based primary with a strong set of extracurricular activities and a manageable class size, but who are comfortable with results that are slightly below the very high local average.

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