St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

About St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School

St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School in Northumberland was rated Requires Improvement by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection in November 2023, a drop from its previous Good rating in 2014. The inspection report highlighted that behaviour and attitudes, along with leadership and management, both require improvement, though the quality of education, early years provision, and personal development were each judged Good. The most telling academic metric comes from the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results: only 40% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined. That figure sits well below the Northumberland local authority average of 56% and places the school 50th out of 58 primary schools in the county, putting it in the bottom half of its local rankings. Nationally, it ranks in the 90th percentile among all primary schools, meaning roughly nine out of ten schools nationally achieved a higher combined expected standard.

Looking more closely at the individual subject scores from the same KS2 assessments, the picture is mixed. In reading, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard and 17% achieved a higher score, with an average scaled score of 103. Writing saw 69% at expected and 17% at a higher level. Maths was weaker: only 48% reached the expected standard, 5% achieved a higher score, and the average scaled score was exactly 100. Progress measures were not available for any of the three subjects, so it is difficult to judge how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. The school has 237 pupils against a capacity of 330, and 36.1% are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and suggests a high level of disadvantage. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary-only setting, but it does offer nursery provision for children from age three.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26: it received 34 applications for 23 places, with all 23 first-preference applicants receiving an offer, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.48. Facilities include a sensory room, chapel, art studios, music rooms, an ICT suite, and a sports hall. Sports on offer include rounders, tennis, cross country, athletics, dance, and swimming, while clubs range from book club and drama to eco club, film club, and choir. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. For families considering alternatives, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Malvin's Close Academy, just half a kilometre away. St Wilfrid's may suit families who value its Catholic character and broad extracurricular offer, but the recent Ofsted rating and below-average KS2 outcomes are important factors to weigh.

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