The Priory Catholic Voluntary Academy

About The Priory Catholic Voluntary Academy

The Priory Catholic Voluntary Academy in Broxtowe is a primary school that clearly inspires confidence among its families. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering responses from September 2024 to September 2025, 81% of parents said they would recommend the school to others, a strong signal of overall satisfaction. The school is also popular in practical terms: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 41 applications for just 24 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.71. Only 18 first-preference applications were made, but all of those were offered a place, suggesting that for families who put it first, the school is a realistic option. Parents were particularly positive about clubs and activities, with 100% agreeing or strongly agreeing that their child can take part, and 92% felt their child does well at the school. However, responses were more mixed around support for children with special educational needs, where 35% of parents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the school provides adequate support.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025 was an ungraded visit that confirmed standards are maintained, following a full graded inspection in November 2019 where it was rated Good across all areas. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 52% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 61%. The school’s average scores were 105 in maths and 103 in reading, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100, but the proportion reaching the higher standard was low: 21% in maths and 10% in reading, with no pupils reaching the higher standard in writing. Progress scores are not available, so it is difficult to say how much value the school adds. Nationally, the school ranks in the bottom half of primary schools for its combined expected standard, sitting at the 74th percentile.

The school is a Catholic voluntary academy with a chapel on site, and it offers a range of facilities including playing fields, an ICT suite, a gymnasium and art studios. Sports provision covers gymnastics, tennis, football, dance, cross country, cricket and athletics, while clubs include art, science, book club, gardening, eco club and coding. The school has a published capacity of 210 and currently has 195 pupils on roll, with 8.8% eligible for free school meals. It lists a broad range of SEND provisions, including support for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties, though parent feedback suggests this is an area of concern for some. This school is likely to suit families who value a Catholic ethos, a strong sense of community as reflected in parent satisfaction, and a school that is not oversubscribed to the point of being inaccessible for first-preference applicants.

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