St Philip's Catholic Primary School

About St Philip's Catholic Primary School

St Philip's Catholic Primary School in Sandwell is a popular choice among local families, with a clear signal of demand in its most recent admissions round. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 16 applications for just 9 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.78. All 8 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, the school is a realistic option. The school's parentView data is not available in this dataset, so we can't report a recommend percentage, but the oversubscription figures alone indicate a solid local reputation. As a Roman Catholic primary with nursery provision, it serves 216 pupils aged 3 to 11, with 36 per cent eligible for free school meals, reflecting a diverse intake. Headteacher Carmel Hinton leads a school that operates slightly above its official capacity of 210.

Academically, St Philip's sits in the bottom half of primary schools nationally and within Sandwell. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 53 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 60 per cent. Individual subject results were stronger in reading, where 73 per cent met the expected standard and 20 per cent achieved the higher standard. Maths saw 67 per cent at expected and 13 per cent at higher, while writing was at 70 per cent expected and just 7 per cent higher. Average scaled scores were 103 in reading and 102 in maths. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in May 2024, confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. This follows a previous graded inspection in 2013 that had awarded the same overall rating, a notable improvement from the Requires Improvement judgement of 2010.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a library, playing fields, a sensory room, a dining hall and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, football, athletics, dance, tennis, gymnastics and rounders, while after-school clubs include Eco Club, Film Club, Science Club, Chess, Book Club and Art Club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school's SEND register covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Shireland Hall Primary Academy, 1.1 km away. St Philip's suits families seeking a faith-based, community-focused primary with strong demand but achievable first-preference access, and a broad enrichment offer that balances academic support with creative and physical activities.

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