St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey

About St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey

St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey sits within the Norfolk local authority, where it ranks 145th out of 344 primary schools of the same type. That places it in the bottom half of the LA, though it's worth noting the area has 21 schools rated Outstanding. Among its top-performing local peers are Ditchingham Church of England Primary Academy and Surlingham Primary School, both of which achieved a perfect ranking score of 100, and Stalham Academy with a score of 89. The school itself is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary for mixed pupils aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It has a capacity of 345 and currently houses 315 pupils, with 8.9 per cent eligible for free school meals. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025, the school was rated Good across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — a consistent improvement from its previous Good rating in 2012.

Academically, the school's Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 52 per cent, which matches the Norfolk LA average of 52 per cent exactly. However, the school's ranking on this metric places it in the bottom 50 per cent nationally, at the 75th percentile. Looking at individual subjects, reading saw 74 per cent of pupils reach the expected standard and 24 per cent achieve a higher score, while maths had 86 per cent at expected and 33 per cent at higher. Writing was weaker, with 57 per cent at expected and just 14 per cent at higher. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 107 in maths. The school's overall ranking in South Norfolk is 31st out of 54, and regionally it sits at the 70th percentile among East of England primaries.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive, with 95 per cent saying they would recommend the school. In the Parent View survey covering September 2024 to September 2025, 90 per cent of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy, and 95 per cent felt their child is safe. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 80 applications for 45 places, with all 45 first-preference offers taken up — a ratio of 1.78 applicants per place. Facilities include a chapel, sensory room, sports hall, gymnasium, art studios and an ICT suite. The school supports a range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Clubs cover coding, drama and eco club, while sports include athletics, football, rounders and cross country. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Chapel Break Infant School, 1.9 km away, making this a solid local option for Catholic families in Costessey.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Costessey

Helpful Guides for Parents