St Fidelis Catholic Primary School

About St Fidelis Catholic Primary School

St Fidelis Catholic Primary School is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in Bexley, London, and it is significantly oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 171 applications for just 60 places, with 79 of those coming from first-preference families, resulting in an oversubscription ratio of 2.85. This high demand is understandable given the school’s current roll of 457 pupils, which already exceeds its official capacity of 428. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of economic background: 24.7% of students are eligible for free school meals, a figure well above the national primary average of around 23% and likely higher than the Bexley average, suggesting the school serves a genuinely mixed catchment. The school also offers nursery provision for three-year-olds, feeding into the main school. With a Roman Catholic religious character, priority in admissions will naturally go to baptised Catholic children, but the sheer volume of applications indicates that families from beyond the immediate parish are also keen to secure a place.

Academically, St Fidelis is performing at an exceptionally high level. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the Bexley local authority average of 67%. This places the school 7th out of 55 primary schools in the borough and in the top 11% nationally. A strong 18% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. Individual subject scores are equally impressive: the average reading score was 108 and maths 107, both above the national average. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, awarded it Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a clear upgrade from its previous Good rating, and it now joins just 11 other primaries in Bexley with the top grade.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, outdoor playground, sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, dance, cross country and rounders, while extracurricular clubs include eco club, drama, gardening, choir and chess. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. Given the intense competition for places — only 58 of 79 first-preference applicants were offered a spot — this is a school that rewards early application and strong Catholic affiliation. It will particularly suit families who value high academic standards within a faith-based setting and who are comfortable with a large, popular school that is running above its official capacity. The nearest other Outstanding-rated primary is Christ Church (Erith) CofE Primary, 0.7 km away, offering a non-Catholic alternative for those who miss out.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Fidelis Catholic Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents