St Botolph's Church of England Primary School

About St Botolph's Church of England Primary School

St Botolph's Church of England Primary School is a popular choice among local families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 125 applications for just 54 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.31. That means more than two families applied for every available spot, and all 54 first-preference applicants were offered a place. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the sheer demand suggests a strong reputation in the Charnwood area. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary for ages 4 to 11, with a Church of England character, and is led by headteacher Emma Pepper. It currently has 367 pupils on roll against a capacity of 600, so there is room to grow. The most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in November 2021, confirmed the school 'remains Good', consistent with its previous graded inspection in 2011, where leadership, early years provision, and overall effectiveness were all rated Good.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 48% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Leicestershire local authority average of 62%. The school ranks 41st out of 45 primary schools in Charnwood on this measure, placing it in the bottom half nationally. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story. In maths, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard and the average score was 103, while 20% achieved the higher standard. Reading was weaker, with 58% at expected and an average score of 101. Writing saw 66% at expected. Just 8% of pupils reached the higher standard in both reading and writing. The school's Progress 8 scores are not available, so it's hard to say how much value the school adds, but the raw attainment figures suggest that while many children do well, the school is not among the strongest performers in the local area.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a Forest School, library, playing fields, gymnasium, music rooms, sports hall and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, rounders, football, cricket and netball, and there are clubs for gardening, art and coding. SEND support is notably broad, with provisions for moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language issues, visual and multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder, plus a resourced provision. This makes it a potentially strong fit for families whose children need additional support. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is wise. For families seeking an Outstanding-rated alternative, Newcroft Primary Academy is just 0.9 km away. St Botolph's suits families who value a Church of England ethos, a wide range of facilities, and a school that is well-regarded locally, even if its academic results sit below the LA average.

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