St Edward's Catholic First School

About St Edward's Catholic First School

St Edward's Catholic First School sits in a local authority where the average Key Stage 2 score is 64, but as a first school taking pupils only up to age 9, it doesn't publish KS2 results in the same way. What stands out instead is how heavily oversubscribed it is: 129 applications for 50 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, a ratio of 2.58 applicants per place, with 46 first-preference offers made. That level of demand suggests local parents see something distinctive here. The school's 8.3 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average, and its Roman Catholic character will be a draw for families seeking a faith-based start. With a capacity of 300 and 278 pupils on roll, it's running close to full, which reinforces the sense of a school that local families are actively choosing.

Academically, the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated the school Good overall, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all graded Good. That's a notable shift from its previous inspection in 2009, when it was rated Outstanding across the board, including early years provision and leadership. The current inspection report notes that standards have settled at a solid Good rather than exceptional, but the consistency across all areas is reassuring. The school doesn't publish Progress 8 scores because it's a first school, so direct comparison with the LA average for primary outcomes isn't possible. However, the fact that three Catholic primaries in the same borough rank among the top local performers — St Francis Catholic Primary and St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary both feature in the top three — suggests the Catholic sector in Windsor and Maidenhead is strong, and St Edward's sits within that tradition.

Facilities include a Forest School, chapel, music rooms, playing fields, and a library, which give a sense of a school that values both outdoor learning and creative subjects. Sports on offer are athletics, swimming, tennis, football, and rounders, and clubs extend to drama, coding, and film club. The school's SEND provisions cover moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder, so it's equipped to support a range of additional needs. Oversubscription is high, so families applying will need to be aware of the admissions criteria, likely prioritising Catholic faith connection. This is a school that suits families who want a faith-based, community-focused first school with strong demand, solid Ofsted grades, and a broad extracurricular offer, but who are comfortable with a Good rather than Outstanding rating and the competitive entry that comes with it.

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