St Martin's Catholic Primary School

About St Martin's Catholic Primary School

St Martin's Catholic Primary School is a small, state-funded primary in Reading with a current roll of 141 pupils against a capacity of 210, meaning it operates well below its maximum size. This undersubscription is interesting given the clear demand for places: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 21 applications for just 7 available places, with 6 of those offers going to first-preference families. The oversubscription ratio of 3 to 1 suggests that while the school is popular among those who apply, its overall capacity isn't being fully utilised, possibly due to its faith-based admissions criteria or local demographic patterns. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 15.6%, which is slightly below the national average for primary schools and indicates a relatively less disadvantaged intake compared with many Reading primaries. The school's Roman Catholic character is a defining feature, and families considering it should be comfortable with a faith-based environment, though the data doesn't specify how strictly this is applied in admissions.

Academically, St Martin's performs strongly within Reading. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the local authority average of 61%. This places the school 6th out of 38 primary schools in Reading, putting it in the top 25% locally and the top 19% nationally. Individual subject scores are impressive: 95% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with an average scaled score of 112, while 90% did so in maths, averaging 111. At the higher standard, 62% of pupils achieved above the expected level in reading, though the combined higher standard figure drops to 10%, reflecting the challenge of reaching that top tier across all three subjects. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 judged it to remain Good overall, with leadership and management rated Outstanding. The previous graded inspection in 2012 also awarded Good, so the school has a consistent track record of solid performance.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, playing fields, an outdoor playground and a chapel, reflecting its Catholic identity. Sports provision covers gymnastics, swimming, netball, dance and cross country, while clubs include gardening, chess and film club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no nursery or sixth form provision, so this is strictly a primary school for ages 4 to 11. Given its strong academic outcomes relative to the local average, its faith-based ethos, and its small size, St Martin's is likely to suit families who prioritise a supportive, community-focused Catholic education and are comfortable with a school that is popular among those who apply but not at full capacity overall.

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