St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School

About St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School

St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School in Solihull is a smaller than average primary, with 202 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240. That spare capacity is notable given the school’s high level of disadvantage: 48% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of around 23% and a clear marker of the community it serves. Demand is strong, though. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 39 applications for its 20 Reception places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.95 applicants per place. Eighteen of those applications were first preferences, all of which received offers. As a Roman Catholic state school, its religious character is likely a draw for local families, but the intake data suggests it also serves a broad mix of children, with nursery provision available from age three.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024 rated it Good overall, with a standout Outstanding grade for personal development. The previous inspection in 2014 also rated it Good, so the school has maintained a solid baseline over a decade. At Key Stage 2, results are mixed. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 46%, compared with a Solihull local authority average of 67%. That places the school 42nd out of 42 primary schools in the borough on this metric, in the bottom 50% nationally. However, individual subject scores tell a slightly different story: 71% met the expected standard in writing and 68% in reading, while maths was lower at 64%. Average scaled scores in reading and maths both sat at 104, exactly in line with the national average.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, music rooms, an ICT suite, a chapel and a Forest School area. Sports provision covers football, rounders, swimming and athletics, while clubs include drama, coding, science club and film club. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health difficulties, and specific learning difficulties like dyslexia. For families prioritising a faith-based education in a diverse, inclusive setting, St John the Baptist is a genuine local option. It is not the highest-performing academically in Solihull, but its strong personal development rating, oversubscribed intake and broad SEND offer suggest a school that is well-regarded by the families who choose it.

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