St George's Catholic Primary School

About St George's Catholic Primary School

St George's Catholic Primary School in Southend-on-Sea is a clear standout when you compare its headline Key Stage 2 results against the local authority average. The school achieved a 73% rate of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is a full 12 percentage points above the Southend-on-Sea average of 61% for primary schools. That places St George's 7th out of 25 primaries in the local authority, comfortably in the top 28% of schools in the area. The school's ranking score of 73 also puts it in the top quarter nationally. It's worth noting that while the school is performing well above the LA norm, it sits behind three other local primaries including Bournes Green Junior School and Darlinghurst Academy, so it's not the absolute top performer in the borough, but it's certainly punching above the typical local level.

Digging into the detail of the 2023/24 exam results, the picture is strong across the board. In reading, 80% of pupils hit the expected standard with an average score of 107, and 30% reached the higher standard. Maths was even stronger: 87% met the expected standard with an average score of 106, and 23% achieved the higher mark. Writing also saw 87% at the expected level, though only 13% reached the higher standard. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023 rated it Good overall, with Outstanding marks for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes. That's a notable improvement from the previous inspection in 2014, which was also Good but didn't have any Outstanding categories. The leadership and management and quality of education were both rated Good, so the school is delivering solid academic outcomes alongside excellent personal development for its 208 pupils.

The school is oversubscribed and popular, with 67 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 intake, and 29 of those 30 offers going to first-preference families. That's a 2.23 oversubscription ratio, so early application is essential. Facilities are generous for a primary of this size, including a forest school, sensory room, chapel, music rooms, and a gymnasium. Sports on offer include swimming, cricket, gymnastics and football, and there's a good range of clubs from gardening and eco club to drama and film club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and hearing or visual impairments. With a below-average 13.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, St George's serves a relatively advantaged intake. It's a strong fit for Catholic families or those who value a school with clear academic results, good behaviour, and a broad enrichment offer, but be prepared to apply early given the competition for places.

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