St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

About St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in Harrow is a large state primary that is running very close to full capacity, with 624 pupils on roll against a school capacity of 630. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 7.1%, well below the national average for primary schools, reflecting the relatively affluent intake of this Roman Catholic school. Demand for places is exceptionally high: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 261 applications for just 89 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.93. Of those applicants, 80 put St John Fisher as their first preference, and 77 were offered a place, meaning that even first-preference families face a competitive admissions process. The school is one of ten primary schools in Harrow rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and its nearest Outstanding neighbour is Vaughan Primary School, 1.4 kilometres away.

Academically, St John Fisher performs very strongly. In the most recent Ofsted inspection, conducted in December 2023, the school received the highest possible grade of Outstanding across all five assessed categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This continues a long track record of excellence, as the school was also rated Outstanding in its previous inspection in 2009. At Key Stage 2, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Harrow local authority average of 72%. The school ranks second out of 38 primary schools in the borough on this measure, placing it in the top 5% nationally. Average scaled scores were 110 in maths and 109 in reading, both comfortably above the national benchmark of 100, and a higher proportion of pupils achieved the higher standard in maths (53%) than in reading (48%) or writing (28%).

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including an ICT suite, a sensory room, a sports hall and a chapel, reflecting its Catholic character. Sports provision covers football, cricket, swimming, rounders and athletics, while clubs include drama, gardening, science club, book club, eco club and choir. The school has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. This is a school that suits families who are committed to the Catholic faith and who value high academic standards in a heavily oversubscribed setting. Given the intense competition for places, parents will need to ensure their child meets the school's faith-based admissions criteria and consider applying as early as possible.

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