St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Kidderminster for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 417 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026. In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted inspection: September 2026. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary controlled school |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Marlpool Lane Kidderminster Worcestershire DY11 5HP |
| Phone | 01562823614 |
| Reference Number | 135051 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 417 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.08%
Girls: 48.92% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 10.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 1.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.8 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 29.7 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 29.9 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | 31 | 58 |
| 2 | 35 | 25 | 60 |
| 3 | 31 | 30 | 61 |
| 4 | 29 | 30 | 59 |
| 5 | 39 | 20 | 59 |
| 6 | 22 | 38 | 60 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 89.7% |
| Unclassified | 5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.7% |
| White & Asian | 1.4% |
| Chinese | 0.5% |
| Pakistani | 0.5% |
| White, Other | 0.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.2% |
| African | 0.2% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.2% |
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School is a larger-than-average Church of England primary school in Kidderminster, part of the Diocese of Worcester. Inspectors found the school performing well overall: pupils achieve strongly across the curriculum, with outcomes in reading, writing, mathematics and phonics consistently above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. The ambitious curriculum is well sequenced and taught by knowledgeable staff, and inclusion is at the heart of the school's work, with effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Safeguarding standards are met. Pupils behave very well, are proud of their school and benefit from a wide range of personal development opportunities. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, although persistent absence has increased this year and remains a focus for leaders. In the early years, children get off to a strong start, but adult interactions need further development to deepen learning in all activities. Leaders, governors and staff are committed and reflective, with a clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. The main areas for further work are to strengthen adult interactions in the early years, deepen pupils' understanding of cultural diversity, and continue improving attendance for pupils who face barriers. Overall, this is a strong school that prepares pupils well for their next stages in education.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Strong standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Strong standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| > Early Years | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 30 Jun 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 30 Jun 2026 | School inspection |
| 14 Jun 2022 | School inspection |
| 07 Feb 2017 | Short inspection |
| 17 Nov 2011 | Full inspection |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils achieve well across all areas of the curriculum and in all year groups.
- Pupils produce high-quality work and acquire deep understanding of what they learn.
- Strong foundational knowledge in literacy and numeracy from the early years.
- Phonics outcomes consistently above the national average.
- Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 is above the national average.
- Disadvantaged pupils attain as well as non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.
- Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum with a clear focus on subject-specific vocabulary.
- Expert training on oracy and writing helps pupils communicate very well.
- Reading is prioritised and phonics is taught well, with swift support for those who need it.
- Teachers have secure subject knowledge and skilfully reduce barriers to learning.
- Inclusion is at the heart of the school, with high-quality training and effective support for pupils with SEND.
- Pupils have a strong sense of belonging and their successes are celebrated.
- Pupils behave very well, are respectful, and have positive attitudes to learning.
- Bullying is not tolerated and is dealt with quickly.
- Children get off to a great start in Reception Year with warm relationships and well-resourced environments.
- Leaders have high expectations, support staff wellbeing, and governors are deeply committed.
- Personal development programme prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.
- Pupils enjoy a broad range of experiences, including residential visits and clubs.
Areas for Improvement
- Persistent absence has increased this year, although it remains below national averages.
- Adult interactions in the early years need further development to deepen learning in all activities.
- Pupils' knowledge of different religions and cultures needs further strengthening.
- Attendance of pupils who face barriers to attending well needs to improve to be consistently high.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 68% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 5% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 105 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 105 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 1.4 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | 1.2 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 3.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
See how St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
£9.99 one-off payment. Lifetime access, no subscription.
Unlock for £9.99Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 31 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 11 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School had 413 pupils for 420 places. 7 places (1.7%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Kidderminster North” planning area
Worcestershire counted 148 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 185 in 2029–30, up 25%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 360 | 360 | 360 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 |
| Pupils | 321 | 330 | 361 | 389 | 409 | 415 | 414 | 416 | 412 | 414 | 415 | 417 | 418 | 414 | 413 |
| Unfilled | 10.8% | 8.3% | 0.0% | 7.4% | 2.6% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.9% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 1.7% |
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 CofE (VC) Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 2.4% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 3.0% | 3.7% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
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 CofE (VC) Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 CofE (VC) Primary School had 25.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 11.8 | 12.9 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 10.8 | 10.2 | 10.8 | 8.9 | 12.4 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 12.5 | 15.0 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 2.8% | 0.0% | 11.5% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 15.2% | 18.9% | 10.6% | 7.1% | 17.1% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 6.4% | 6.9% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 42.9% | 55.6% | 68.4% | 78.9% | 62.5% | 62.5% | 66.7% | 68.4% | 52.4% | – | 33.3% | 59.1% | 68.2% | 50.0% | 42.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 17.3 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 | – | 1.1 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | – |
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, 11.3% of pupils at St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 22 | 6 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 9 | 1 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 6 | 0 |
| Hearing impairment | 4 | 1 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 2 | 1 |
| Vision impairment | 2 | 0 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 0 | 1 |
| Physical disability | 0 | 1 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
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 CofE (VC) Primary School received £6,210 and spent £6,347 for each of its 417 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £139,000 (£333 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £153,000 | £111,000 | £223,000 | £224,000 | £134,000 | £138,000 | £196,000 | £139,000 |
| per pupil | £370 | £267 | £534 | £538 | £322 | £337 | £473 | £333 |
| In-year balance | £48,000 | -£42,000 | £112,000 | £2,000 | -£90,000 | £3,000 | £58,000 | -£57,000 |
| per pupil | £116 | -£101 | £269 | £4 | -£216 | £8 | £141 | -£137 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Franche Primary School
Chestnut Grove, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5QB |
0.27 miles |
|
St John's CofE Primary School
Blakebrook, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 6AP |
0.68 miles |
|
St Mary's CofE (VA) Primary School
Stoney Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 2LX |
0.76 miles |
|
Wolverley Sebright Primary Academy
Franche Road, Wolverley, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5TP |
0.95 miles |
|
St George's CofE School
Birmingham Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 2BX |
1.03 miles |
|
St Ambrose Catholic Primary
Leswell Street, Saint Ambrose School, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 1RP |
1.17 miles |
|
Sutton Park Primary School
Greatfield Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 6PH |
1.21 miles |
|
St Oswald's CofE Primary School
Sion Avenue, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 2YL |
1.29 miles |
|
Foley Park Primary Academy
Northumberland Avenue, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7AW |
1.49 miles |
|
Offmore Primary School
Wordsworth Crescent, Offmore Primary School, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 3HA |
1.74 miles |
|
Birchen Coppice Academy
Woodbury Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 7JJ |
1.91 miles |
|
Comberton Primary School
Borrington Road, Comberton Primary School, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 3ED |
1.96 miles |
|
Cookley Sebright Primary School
16 Lea Lane, Cookley, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 3TA |
1.97 miles |
|
Heronswood Primary School
Heronswood Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 4EX |
2.3 miles |
|
Bewdley Primary School
Stourport Road, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY12 1BL |
2.46 miles |
|
St Anne's CofE VC Primary School
St Anne's Cofe Vc Primary School, Wyre Hill, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY12 2UQ |
3.37 miles |
|
Wilden All Saints CofE Primary School
Wilden Lane, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, DY13 9LP |
3.45 miles |
|
Burlish Park Primary School
Windermere Way, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, DY13 8LA |
3.46 miles |
|
Foley Infant School Academy
Fairfield Drive, Kinver, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 6EW |
3.7 miles |
|
Blakedown CofE Primary School
Birmingham Road, Blakedown, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 3JN |
3.71 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Wyre Forest School
Habberley Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 6FA |
0.55 miles |
|
Baxter College
Habberley Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5PQ |
0.71 miles |
|
Nurture Learning
County Buildings, Bewdley Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 6RQ |
0.74 miles |
|
Heathfield Knoll School
Wolverley, Kidderminster, DY10 3QE |
1.08 miles |
|
Holy Trinity School
Birmingham Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 2BY |
1.16 miles |
|
Wolverley CofE Secondary School
Blakeshall Lane, Wolverley, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5XQ |
1.37 miles |
|
King Charles I School
Hill Grove House, Comberton Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 1XA |
1.58 miles |
|
Wribbenhall School
21 Crundalls Lane, Wribbenhall, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY12 1JL |
1.93 miles |
|
Southwell Education Ltd
G8 the Offices, Walter Nash Road West, Kidderminster, DY11 7QY |
2.46 miles |
|
The Bewdley School
Stourport Road, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY12 1BL |
2.54 miles |
|
Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School
Heath Lane, Summerfield, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, Worcestershire, DY10 4BS |
3.24 miles |
|
The Stourport High School and Sixth Form College
Minster Road, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, DY13 8AX |
3.39 miles |
|
Aurora Wilden View School
Worcester Road, Torton, Kidderminster, West Midlands, DY11 7RR |
3.76 miles |
|
Kinver High School and Sixth Form
Enville Road, Kinver, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 6AA |
4.05 miles |
|
Cambian New Elizabethan School
Quarry Bank, Hartlebury, DY11 7TE |
4.57 miles |
All schools in Kidderminster · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications
What is St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.
When was St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.
How many pupils does St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School have?
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School has 417 pupils on roll.
What age range does St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School cover?
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.
What are St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School?
St Catherine's CofE (VC) Primary School is at Marlpool Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5HP.