St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy

About St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy

St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy is a primary school in Hull that serves a notably diverse intake. With 196 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, it is not quite full, yet the school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26: 19 applications were received for 16 places, with 14 of those being first-preference choices. This suggests a solid local reputation. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 31.6%, well above the national average of around 23% and significantly higher than the local authority average of roughly 28% for primary schools. This indicates the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. The school is Roman Catholic in character, though the data does not specify how many pupils are from Catholic families. It also offers nursery provision, meaning children can join from age three.

Academically, St Charles performs around the middle of the pack in Hull. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is just below the local authority average of 65%. The school ranks 37th out of 69 primary schools in Hull on this measure, placing it in the top 54% locally. Nationally, it sits in the 47th percentile. Average scores in reading and maths were both 104, exactly in line with the national average. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard was low: 32% in reading, 9% in maths, and none in writing. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024 was a graded inspection, and inspectors judged every category as Good, including early years provision, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership. This marks a clear improvement from the previous inspection in March 2022, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a sensory room, a chapel, music rooms, a gymnasium, and playing fields. Sports provision covers rounders, football, cross country and cricket, while clubs include Eco Club, drama and coding. SEND provision is well-documented, with support for pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering St Charles, the oversubscription data suggests it is a popular choice locally but not unreachable. The nearest Outstanding-rated school, Clifton Primary, is just 0.3 km away, so parents in this area have strong options to compare. St Charles will suit families who value a Catholic ethos, a school that has recently improved its Ofsted rating, and one that actively supports a disadvantaged intake with targeted SEND resources.

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