St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

About St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, South Shields

St Oswald's Catholic Primary School in South Shields posts a Key Stage 2 combined expected standard score of 66 per cent, which sits just above the South Tyneside local authority average of 64 per cent for primary schools. That two-point gap is modest but consistent, and it places the school 18th out of 37 primaries in the borough, right in the middle of the pack. The school's reading expected standard is notably stronger at 83 per cent, while maths sits at 76 per cent and writing at 69 per cent. The combined figure is the one that matters most for league tables, and it shows a school performing slightly better than the typical LA school without being among the top tier. The three top-ranked primaries in South Tyneside all score above 88, so St Oswald's is not in that bracket, but it is comfortably above the median for the area.

Looking deeper at the 2023/24 results, the school's average scaled scores are 104 in reading and 103 in maths, both above the national baseline of 100. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined is just 7 per cent, which is low, though individual subject higher-standard percentages are a bit better: 17 per cent in writing, 14 per cent in maths and 10 per cent in reading. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 judged it Good overall, with leadership and management also rated Good. That marks a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2014, when it was rated Requires improvement, and the ungraded visit confirmed that standards have been maintained. The school has a Roman Catholic character and a nursery provision for children from age three.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 35 applications for 27 places and 24 first-preference offers made, so securing a place is not guaranteed. Facilities include a library, art studios, playing fields, a gymnasium, a sensory room and a chapel, and the clubs list runs to choir, eco club, coding, science club and book club. Sports on offer are rounders, gymnastics, dance and netball. The SEND register covers a broad range of needs including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 45 families show 80 per cent would recommend the school, and strong majorities agree that children are happy, safe and well-behaved. However, only 50 per cent strongly agree that SEND children get the support they need, and 25 per cent disagree on that point, which is worth noting for families with specific needs.

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