St Ethelbert's Catholic Primary School

About St Ethelbert's Catholic Primary School

St Ethelbert's Catholic Primary School in Slough has been rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent ungraded inspection in November 2024, where inspectors confirmed that standards are being maintained. This represents a significant turnaround from the school's previous graded inspection in 2015, when it was rated Inadequate. The school now holds Good ratings for overall effectiveness, leadership and management, and early years provision. On the most informative exam metric available, 63% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits below the Slough local authority average of 70%, placing the school 18th out of 26 primary schools in the borough. Nationally, it ranks in the 50th percentile, and within the South East region it sits just below the midpoint. The school's ranking score of 63 places it in the bottom 50% of schools nationally, though it is worth noting that 10% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, reading was the strongest subject: 79% of pupils reached the expected standard and 32% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 107. Writing saw 77% at expected and 15% at the higher level, while maths had 74% at expected and 23% at the higher level, with an average score of 105. The school's parent view survey, based on 43 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, paints a very positive picture: 100% of parents either agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 98% would recommend it to other parents. Strong agreement was particularly high for safety (81%), awareness of what their child will learn (74%), and behaviour (72%). The school's capacity is 472 pupils, and it currently has 428 on roll, with 17.3% eligible for free school meals. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 71 applications for 37 places, with 34 first-preference offers made.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, music rooms, a forest school area, an ICT suite, a chapel, and an outdoor playground. Sports provision covers gymnastics, athletics, dance, football, netball, cricket and tennis, while clubs include chess, coding and film club. For children with additional needs, the school supports a broad spectrum of SEND provisions, including specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is nursery provision for children from age three, and the school operates as a Roman Catholic state primary for mixed gender pupils aged 3 to 11. St Ethelbert's will suit families who prioritise a faith-based primary education in Slough and who value a school that has demonstrably improved its Ofsted rating, with strong parent satisfaction around happiness, safety and communication, even if its academic outcomes are currently below the local average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Ethelbert's Catholic Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents