Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School

About Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School

Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea is a small, oversubscribed state primary that clearly appeals to local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 28 applications for just 12 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.33. Of those, 11 first-preference families were offered a spot, meaning nearly every first-choice applicant secured a place, but demand still far outstrips supply. The school has a nursery provision, which may help families get a foot in the door early. With 165 pupils against a capacity of 380, the school is operating well below its maximum size, which could mean smaller class environments. The headteacher is Geraldine Hampton, and the school's Roman Catholic character is reflected in its on-site chapel and the strong sense of community that often comes with a faith-based admissions policy.

Academically, Saint Mary's performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That's below the Kensington and Chelsea local authority average of 72%, but the school's reading and maths scores tell a more nuanced story: 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, and 75% in maths, with average scaled scores of 106 and 104 respectively. The school ranks 17th out of 25 primaries in the borough on the combined measure, placing it in the 68th percentile locally. Nationally, it sits in the 47th percentile. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2016, the school was rated Good overall, with Good ratings for leadership, management and early years provision. A subsequent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good.

The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, music rooms, a gymnasium, a sensory room, art studios and a chapel. Sports provision covers athletics, football, dance, tennis, gymnastics and cross country, while clubs include coding, drama, science club and choir. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest outstanding-rated primary is St Thomas' CofE Primary School, just 0.2 km away, which may be a consideration for families weighing options. Saint Mary's is best suited to Catholic families in the local area who value a faith-based, community-focused primary with strong reading outcomes and a supportive SEND framework, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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