St Catherine's RC School

St Catherine's RC School is a large Catholic primary and nursery in Barnet that is performing at a strong standard across all areas. Pupils achieve highly, with outcomes consistently above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, with a deliberate emphasis on language, oracy and secure basics, and teaching is consistently effective. Behaviour is exemplary, attendance is high, and pupils feel safe, valued and included. The early years provision is particularly well tailored, including for two- and three-year-olds, and inclusion work is strong: leaders identify barriers quickly and work closely with families and professionals. Leadership and governance are effective, with a culture of shared responsibility and ongoing staff development. Safeguarding standards are met. The main development point is to embed the new assessment recording system so leaders can analyse the impact of their support even more sharply, and to sustain improvement as the school's context changes. Overall, this is a high-performing school with no significant weaknesses identified.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve highly, with outcomes consistently above national averages.
• An ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with a strong focus on language and oracy.
• High-quality teaching supported by effective training, coaching and feedback.
• Excellent early years provision tailored to children's developmental needs.
• Strong inclusion practice for pupils with SEND and other barriers to learning.
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and a calm, cooperative learning environment.
• High attendance, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Effective leadership and governance with clear shared responsibility.
• Comprehensive personal development and a wide range of enrichment opportunities.
• A positive, safe culture where pupils feel valued and included.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders' processes for analysing the impact of inclusion support could be sharper.
• The new assessment recording system needs embedding to better analyse impact and manage changes to the school's context.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Catherine's RC School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.2% of pupils at St Catherine's RC School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Catherine's RC School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 10.9% of pupils at St Catherine's RC School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Catherine's RC School received £7,237 and spent £7,337 for each of its 452 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £157,000 (£347 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Barnet · Barnet local authority: places and applications

What is St Catherine's RC School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Catherine's RC School is Strong standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was St Catherine's RC School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Catherine's RC School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does St Catherine's RC School have?

St Catherine's RC School has 470 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Catherine's RC School cover?

St Catherine's RC School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are St Catherine's RC School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Catherine's RC School?

St Catherine's RC School is at Vale Drive, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 2ED.