St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School

About St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School

St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School in Brent is a popular choice among local families, with 56 applications for 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.87. Of those, 28 first-preference families received offers, indicating strong demand for this Roman Catholic state primary. The school currently has 222 pupils on roll against a capacity of 235, so it is operating close to full. Parent experience data is not available here, but the high application numbers relative to places suggest a positive reputation in the community. The school is led by headteacher Ilira Heath and serves children aged 3 to 11, with nursery provision on site. Its religious character is Roman Catholic, which will be a key factor for families seeking a faith-based education in Brent.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently across its previous graded inspections. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 45% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Brent local authority average of 65%. In individual subjects, 66% reached the expected level in reading and writing, while 59% did so in maths. Average scores were 104 in reading and 101 in maths. The proportion achieving the higher standard was 14% in each of reading, writing and maths. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom half for this combined measure, placing 46th out of 52 primary schools in Brent. For families prioritising strong academic outcomes, it is worth comparing with nearby schools like St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary, which is rated Outstanding and sits 1.9 km away.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a chapel, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include athletics, tennis, netball and rounders, while clubs such as film club, choir, coding and science club provide enrichment beyond the classroom. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and social, emotional and mental health support. This makes it a practical option for families whose children require additional support in a mainstream setting. The school is oversubscribed, so early application is essential, particularly for those seeking a Catholic primary with nursery provision in Brent. It will suit families who value a faith-based environment and are comfortable with its below-average KS2 outcomes compared with the local authority.

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