St Francis Catholic Primary School, Morley

About St Francis Catholic Primary School, Morley

St Francis Catholic Primary School, Morley, sits comfortably above the Leeds local authority average when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 61%, St Francis achieves 80% — a significant gap that places it in the top 25% of primary schools nationally. This is a school that consistently outperforms its local peers, ranking 24th out of 204 primary schools in Leeds. Its Progress 8 scores aren't available in the data, but the raw attainment figures tell a clear story: children here are leaving primary school well prepared. The school is Roman Catholic and led by headteacher Grace Gibbons, with a nursery provision for children from age three. It currently has 250 pupils on roll, overshooting its official capacity of 210, which hints at its popularity among local families.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 exam results, the school's strength lies in consistency across the three core subjects. In reading, 80% of pupils met the expected standard, with an average scaled score of 106, and 43% reached the higher standard. Maths tells a similar story: 83% at expected, an average score of 106, and 37% at the higher level. Writing saw 87% reach the expected standard, though the higher standard figure drops to 27%. The combined expected standard of 80% is well above the Leeds average and puts the school in the top 12% nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2024, confirmed the school remains Good, a rating it has held consistently across its previous graded inspections. The early years provision, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness were all judged Good.

For families considering St Francis, the practical picture is one of high demand. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 127 applications for just 27 places, with 23 first-preference offers made — an oversubscription ratio of 4.7 to one. That means applying as a first preference is essential. The school offers a range of facilities including a sports hall, library, forest school and chapel, and runs clubs in drama, choir and chess. Sports on offer include rounders, football, cricket and netball. Its SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes within a faith-based setting, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process.

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