St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School

About St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School

St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School in Sandwell has turned a corner academically. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024, the school was judged Good across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2022, when the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board. The most telling exam metric for this primary school is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2: 47% did so in the 2023/24 academic year. That figure sits below the Sandwell local authority average of 60%, and places the school 73rd out of 83 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half nationally. However, the school’s individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story.

Looking at the breakdown, reading and writing are relative strengths. 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, and 77% did so in writing, both comfortably above the combined figure. Maths is weaker, with 53% reaching the expected standard and an average scaled score of 101. At the higher standard, the numbers are modest: 23% in reading, 17% in maths, 13% in writing and just 3% across all three subjects. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds. The school’s national ranking places it in the bottom 50 tier, at 11,348 out of 13,686 primary schools. Parents responding to the Ofsted Parent View survey were overwhelmingly positive: 87% would recommend the school, and 98% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there.

St Francis Xavier is a small Roman Catholic primary with 199 pupils on roll, just under its capacity of 210. It has a nursery provision and serves children aged 3 to 11. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, with 28 applications for 16 places and all 15 first-preference applicants receiving an offer. A quarter of pupils (26.6%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a gymnasium, music rooms, ICT suite, sports hall, playing fields, a forest school and a chapel. SEND provision covers seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disability, though no parents responded to the SEND-specific question in the survey. Clubs include film, science and art, and sports on offer are cricket, athletics, netball and rounders. This is a school that suits families who value its Catholic character, its improved Ofsted rating, and a setting where parents report high levels of happiness and safety for their children.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents