Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School is a smaller-than-average Roman Catholic primary school in Sale. Following its September 2026 full section 5 inspection, it was judged to be at 'strong standard' in every evaluated area, and safeguarding standards are met. Pupils achieve very well from their starting points, with attainment significantly above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2; disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are also well prepared for secondary school. The school's strengths are broad. Attendance is consistently above national averages and persistent absence is low, while pupils' behaviour is exemplary and relationships are positive. Leaders have built an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum, effective teaching and a highly inclusive culture, with strong early years provision and well-targeted support for SEND, EAL and disadvantaged pupils. Leadership and governance are strong, staff feel valued, and personal development and pastoral care are well embedded. No significant weaknesses were identified. The only next step is for leaders to continue embedding and developing highly responsive teaching strategies, including ongoing refinements to handwriting, so that all pupils continue to succeed.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve very well and attain significantly above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are very well prepared for secondary school.
• Attendance is consistently above the national average for all groups, with low persistent absence.
• Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and creates a calm, respectful and safe environment.
• The curriculum is well structured, ambitious and refined in response to pupils' needs.
• Teaching is skilful, with strong early reading, writing and mathematics and effective recall strategies.
• Early years provision is ambitious and well sequenced, with children well cared for and prepared for Year 1.
• Inclusion is highly effective, with strong support for pupils with SEND, EAL and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leadership and governance are precise, ambitious and supportive, with strong staff development and wellbeing.
• Personal development is well planned, with extensive enrichment, pastoral support and pupil leadership opportunities.
• Safeguarding standards are met through an open and positive culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Ongoing refinement of highly responsive teaching strategies, including handwriting, is recommended to ensure all pupils continue to succeed.

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 Holy Family Catholic Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Holy Family 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 Holy Family Catholic Primary School had 17.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.3% 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, 17.6% of pupils at Holy Family Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 Holy Family Catholic Primary School received £6,793 and spent £7,119 for each of its 199 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £45,000 (£228 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 Sale · Trafford local authority: places and applications

What is Holy Family Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holy Family Catholic Primary School is Strong standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Holy Family Catholic Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holy Family Catholic Primary School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Holy Family Catholic Primary School have?

Holy Family Catholic Primary School has 199 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holy Family Catholic Primary School cover?

Holy Family Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Holy Family Catholic Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holy Family Catholic Primary School?

Holy Family Catholic Primary School is at Old Hall Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 2JA.