St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

About St Vincent's Catholic Primary School

St Vincent's Catholic Primary School sits in a tricky spot when you compare its headline metrics against the Ealing local authority average. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 is 71 per cent; St Vincent's achieves 62 per cent, a gap of nine percentage points. That places the school 53rd out of 65 primary schools in the borough, firmly in the bottom half. Yet the picture is more nuanced than a single ranking suggests. In maths, 90 per cent of pupils hit the expected standard, well above the national benchmark, and 55 per cent reached the higher standard. Reading scores are similarly strong, with 81 per cent at expected level and 59 per cent at higher. The school's overall Ofsted rating is Outstanding, a grade it earned in its most recent inspection in 2023, having previously been rated Good in 2014. That jump in inspection outcome shows a school that has clearly improved its quality of education, even if its KS2 headline figure trails the LA average.

Digging into the 2023/24 exam results, the gap between St Vincent's expected standard figure and the LA average is largely driven by writing and the combined measure. Only 62 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in writing, and 21 per cent hit the higher standard — both lower than the school's reading and maths outcomes. The average scaled scores tell a similar story: 109 in reading and 109 in maths, both solidly above the national average of 100. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. The Ofsted inspection, however, awarded top marks across the board: Outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school is heavily oversubscribed — 170 applications for 60 places, with 82 first-preference applications and 51 first-preference offers — which suggests strong local demand despite the middling ranking.

For families considering St Vincent's, the practical picture is one of a popular, faith-based primary with a clear Catholic character and a nursery provision for three-year-olds. The school has a sensory room, a sports hall, a library, a chapel and an outdoor playground, plus a wide range of sports including gymnastics, netball, cricket and tennis. Clubs cover drama, choir and art. SEND support is in place for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. With 21.2 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a fairly diverse intake. The oversubscription ratio of 2.83 means getting a place is competitive, particularly for Catholic families who will have priority under the admissions criteria. This school will suit parents who value a strong Catholic ethos and an Outstanding Ofsted rating, and who are comfortable that the KS2 combined score sits below the local average.

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