Sacred Heart Catholic School
100%
Capacity
209
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Sacred Heart Catholic School
Sacred Heart Catholic School is a popular choice among local families, with 40 applications for 22 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.82. All 20 first-preference applicants received offers, which suggests strong local confidence in the school. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2023, confirmed that it remains Good, a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2012 when it was rated Requires Improvement. Leadership and management, as well as overall effectiveness, are now both rated Good. The school serves a mixed community, with 24.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, and it provides nursery provision for children from age three.
Academically, Sacred Heart performs well above the local authority average. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 74% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Torbay average of 61%. This places the school 8th out of 29 primary schools in the local authority, putting it in the top quarter nationally. In reading, 94% of pupils met the expected standard and 32% reached the higher standard. Average scaled scores were 107 in reading and 104 in maths. Writing also performed strongly, with 81% at expected and 23% at the higher level. Maths saw 77% at expected and 16% at higher. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary-only setting.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including an ICT suite, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, swimming, tennis, netball, dance, rounders and cross country, while clubs include drama, eco club, film club and gardening. For pupils with additional needs, the school supports specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, and its oversubscribed status means families applying should be prepared to meet the school’s faith-based admissions criteria. It suits families who value a strong academic record within a faith context and who want a school that has clearly improved its leadership and outcomes over time.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Cecil Road, Paignton, Torbay, TQ3 2SH |
| Headteacher | Nichola Day |
| Local Authority | Torbay |
| Number of Pupils | 209 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.4% |
| School Capacity | 209 / 210 (100% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 May 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 9 Jan 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (74%)
3035th of 13,686
Nationally
261st of 1,469
In South West
8th of 29
In Torbay
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
74%
Expected Standard
16%
Higher Standard
'22/23
60%
'23/24
74%
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
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed22
40
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
20 families put this school as their 1st choice (50% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.3%
- Asian11.1%
- White (other)7.7%
- Mixed4.8%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sacred Heart Catholic 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
Cecil Road, Paignton
Torbay, TQ3 2SH
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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