St Francis Catholic Primary School

St Francis Catholic Primary School is a caring, inclusive school that is fulfilling the expected standard across all inspected areas. Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have maintained stability and continued improvement during a period when the substantive headteacher was absent, with the deputy headteacher serving as acting headteacher. Pupils achieve well overall, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, and are well prepared for secondary school. Attainment at the end of Year 6 is typically close to national averages, and phonics and multiplication outcomes have improved following targeted work. The school has a calm and harmonious environment where pupils behave well, feel safe, and benefit from strong pastoral support and a well-organised curriculum. Early years provision gives children a positive start, and the school's values underpin pupils' personal development. Leaders, governors, and staff work positively with families and external partners, and disadvantaged pupils are increasingly well supported to participate fully in school life. There are still areas to refine. Teaching across the wider curriculum is not always adapted precisely enough for pupils with SEND or for the most able pupils. Outdoor learning in early years does not consistently match the quality of indoor provision, wider opportunities could be broader throughout the year, and leaders and governors need to use information more sharply to identify priorities and evaluate impact. Attendance for pupils with SEND is lower than for other groups, although targeted work is improving it.

Strengths

• Strong caring and inclusive culture where pupils feel welcome and known well
• Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve well from their starting points
• Pupils are well prepared for secondary school by the end of key stage 2
• Phonics outcomes have improved through a revised approach to early reading
• Year 4 multiplication check outcomes have improved through regular practice and targeted support
• Attendance is broadly in line with national figures for most pupils
• The school is a calm and harmonious environment with typically purposeful lessons
• Pupils behave well, treat others with respect, and incidents of bullying are rare
• The curriculum is well organised and helps pupils build knowledge progressively
• Teaching is typically effective, with clear explanations and checks on understanding
• Early years provision gives children a positive start and prepares them well for Year 1
• Pastoral support is a positive feature and helps pupils manage emotions successfully
• Personal development is strong, underpinned by values such as kindness and resilience
• Pupils benefit from leadership opportunities and community projects
• Leaders have provided stability and continuity during a period without the substantive headteacher
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties and are strengthening strategic oversight
• Staff value the supportive culture and appreciate consideration for workload and wellbeing
• Parents and carers value the welcoming and inclusive culture

Areas for Improvement

• Across the wider curriculum, tasks are not always matched precisely to pupils' differing abilities
• Teaching occasionally does not adapt precisely enough for pupils with SEND
• Opportunities for the most able pupils to excel are sometimes missed
• Outdoor learning in early years sometimes misses opportunities to extend children's learning
• Pupils would benefit from a broader range of wider opportunities throughout the year
• Leaders do not always use information precisely enough to identify priorities sharply and evaluate impact
• Attendance is lower for pupils with SEND, although targeted work is improving it

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 Francis Catholic Primary School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.8% 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, 0.5% of pupils at St Francis Catholic Primary 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 Francis Catholic Primary School had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% 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, 15.9% of pupils at St Francis Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.9% 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 Francis Catholic Primary School received £6,920 and spent £6,991 for each of its 204 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £77,000 (£376 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 Walsall · Walsall local authority: places and applications

What is St Francis Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Francis Catholic Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was St Francis Catholic Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Francis Catholic Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does St Francis Catholic Primary School have?

St Francis Catholic Primary School has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Francis Catholic Primary School cover?

St Francis Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Francis Catholic Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Francis Catholic Primary School?

St Francis Catholic Primary School is at Mill Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands, WS4 1RH.