St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School

About St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School

St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School in Newcastle upon Tyne was rated Good overall in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school's leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all received Good marks in the 2023 inspection. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2. At 57%, this falls below the Newcastle upon Tyne local authority average of 63%, placing the school 36th out of 55 primary schools in the area and in the bottom half nationally. However, individual subject results tell a more nuanced story: 79% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, with an average score of 105, while 71% achieved the expected level in reading and 64% in writing.

The school's performance at the higher standard is notably lower, with just 7% of pupils reaching the higher benchmark across all three subjects. In reading, 11% achieved the higher standard, while maths and writing both saw 21% of pupils reaching this level. These figures suggest that while the school is effective at moving most children to the expected level, stretching the highest achievers remains a challenge. The school's ranking within the local authority reflects this mixed picture, sitting in the bottom 50% of primary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne. For context, the nearest Outstanding-rated Catholic primary is St Teresa's in Heaton, just 1.2 kilometres away, and three other Catholic primaries in the area score significantly higher on the same metric.

St Lawrence's is a small school with 218 pupils against a capacity of 210, and it is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 37 applications for 19 places, with all 19 first-preference applicants receiving offers. The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage, as 67.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Facilities include a sports hall, music rooms, art studios, a library, a chapel and a forest school, with clubs ranging from choir and chess to gardening and film club. The school supports children with a range of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social and emotional mental health needs. With nursery provision from age three, this is a faith-based school that suits families seeking a Catholic primary with strong pastoral support and a broad extracurricular offer, though those prioritising top academic outcomes may want to compare results with nearby alternatives.

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