Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy is performing well, with an overall effectiveness rating of 'Good'. Leaders are particularly ambitious for all pupils, focusing not only on academic success but also on developing students personally and socially. The school prioritizes reading and has established a consistent phonics teaching approach that supports pupils in catching up if they fall behind. The positive environment promotes good behavior, and pupils benefit from a wide range of responsibilities that foster their development. Overall, there is a happy atmosphere where students thrive both academically and personally.

Strengths

• Strong ambition for all pupils to achieve well
• Effective phonics teaching supports early reading skills
• Well-structured curriculum with a clear vision in subjects
• Positive relationships among pupils, fostering a caring environment
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
• Consistent application of behavior policies leading to good behavior

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent ambition from teachers in some lessons
• Subject leaders have not fully explored the impact of their curriculum

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 Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.0% 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, 2.1% of pupils at Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy 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 Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy had 24.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 13.6% of pupils at Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.5% 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 2024–25 Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy received £7,090 and spent £8,331 for each of its 141 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £531,000 (-£3,764 per pupil).

Across all 23 schools of St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,145 and spending £7,245 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Coalville · Leicestershire local authority: places and applications

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy is part of St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• Saint Clare's Primary School A Catholic Voluntary Academy, Coalville, Leicestershire Coalville
• Saint Winefride's Catholic Voluntary Academy, Shepshed, Leicestershire Loughborough
• De Lisle College Loughborough Leicestershire Loughborough
• Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary Academy Loughborough
• Saint Mary's Catholic Primary School, Loughborough Loughborough
• St Charles Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy Swadlincote
• English Martyrs' Catholic School, A Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester
• Saint Peters Catholic Voluntary Academy
• Saint Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy Leicester

What is Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy have?

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy has 154 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy cover?

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy?

Holy Cross School A Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Parsonwood Hill, Whitwick, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 5AT.