St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, Gosforth

About St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, Gosforth

St Oswald's Catholic Primary School in Gosforth sits at number one in Newcastle upon Tyne for its key stage 2 results, a position that puts it well ahead of the local authority average. Across the LA, 63% of pupils typically reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, but at St Oswald's that figure jumps to 97%. That gap of 34 percentage points is striking, and it's backed up by strong performance at the higher end: 33% of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects, while 70% hit the higher mark in maths alone. The school ranks 68th nationally out of nearly 14,000 primaries, placing it comfortably in the top 0.5% of schools across the country. For a state primary with 211 pupils, these are standout numbers that suggest a focused, academically effective environment.

The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, rated it Good overall, with Outstanding grades for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes. That's a shift from its previous inspection in 2009, when it was rated Outstanding across the board, but the inspectors were clear that standards remain high. In key stage 2, every single pupil reached the expected standard in reading and writing, and 97% did so in maths. Average scaled scores of 111 in both reading and maths are well above the national benchmark of 100. The school doesn't publish progress scores, so it's hard to say how much value it adds relative to starting points, but the raw outcomes are among the best in the region. With a very low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 6.2%, the intake is less disadvantaged than many local primaries, which may partly explain the results.

St Oswald's is a Roman Catholic school with a chapel on site, and it's oversubscribed: for 26 places in 2025/26, it received 78 applications, with 19 first-preference offers made. That's a ratio of three applicants per place, so families need to be prepared for a competitive admissions process, particularly if they don't have a strong church connection. Facilities include a gymnasium, music rooms, playing fields and an outdoor playground, and the school offers swimming, tennis, football and netball as part of its sports provision. Clubs range from coding and film to gardening and book club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. It's a good fit for families who want strong academic results in a faith-based setting, but given the oversubscription, early registration and a clear understanding of the admissions criteria are essential.

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