St Jude's Catholic Primary School

About St Jude's Catholic Primary School

St Jude's Catholic Primary School in Birmingham is a state-funded, mixed Roman Catholic primary for children aged 3 to 11, currently home to 211 pupils against a capacity of 236. That leaves a modest amount of headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 35 applications for just 22 places, with 21 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio of 1.59 confirms it is a popular choice locally. The pupil body is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage, with 63.7% of children eligible for free school meals — well above the national primary average and a figure that speaks to the school's role in a community with significant economic need. Headteacher Bernadette Smith leads a school that, despite these challenges, has maintained a Good rating from Ofsted across its two most recent graded inspections, the latest taking place in 2022.

Academically, St Jude's delivers solid outcomes that outstrip the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Birmingham LA average of 63%. That places the school 61st out of 254 primaries in the authority, comfortably in the top quarter. Individual subject scores are also encouraging: average scaled scores of 106 in reading and 104 in maths are both above the national benchmark of 100, and the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading (28%) and maths (21%) is respectable. The school's Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — as Good, with no areas flagged for improvement. There is no progress score data available, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points.

The school offers a practical, well-equipped environment with a dining hall, sports hall, music rooms, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports provision includes tennis, athletics, swimming and cricket, and there is a broad range of clubs from chess and book club to eco club and drama. For families with children who have additional needs, St Jude's lists support for a wide spectrum of conditions, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. The school also has nursery provision, making it a potential all-through option from age three. Given its strong local reputation, Catholic character and above-average results despite high levels of disadvantage, St Jude's is likely to suit families who value a faith-based, inclusive primary that punches above its weight academically — though securing a place may require a first-preference application.

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