St Edward's Catholic Primary School

About St Edward's Catholic Primary School

St Edward's Catholic Primary School is a popular choice among local families, with 19 of the 21 places available for the 2025/26 academic year going to first-preference applicants. The school received 47 applications in total, giving it an oversubscription ratio of 2.24, meaning more than two families applied for every place. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school does not publish a parent-view survey result to back that up directly. The school is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in North Northamptonshire, with a mixed intake of 195 pupils aged 4 to 11. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2021, rated the school Good across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. That marked a clear improvement from the previous inspection in 2018, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is below the local authority average of 61% and places the school 73rd out of 90 primary schools in North Northamptonshire, putting it in the bottom half of the local rankings. Nationally, it sits in the 77th percentile. Looking at individual subjects, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in writing, and 71% did so in maths, but reading was weaker at 57%. At the higher standard, just 4% of pupils achieved the top level across all three subjects. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say whether pupils are making strong gains from their starting points. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary, so all pupils move on to secondary education elsewhere.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including an outdoor playground, playing fields, an ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, athletics, rounders, gymnastics, cross country, dance and netball, while clubs include book club, gardening, choir, coding, art club and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists a wide array of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. With 13.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a fairly typical mix of backgrounds. It is not a boarding school and does not offer nursery provision. Given its oversubscription and Catholic character, this school will particularly suit families who prioritise a faith-based primary with a clear improvement trajectory, though they should weigh the below-average KS2 outcomes against the strong demand and good Ofsted rating.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Edward's Catholic Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents