Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School

Our Lady’s Roman Catholic Primary School is performing well overall, maintaining its good status since the previous inspection. The school is characterized by a strong sense of community, fostered by staff who are committed to the well-being and academic success of each pupil. Pupils feel safe and valued, learning to embrace respect and cooperation from the early years onward. The curriculum is carefully designed, particularly in core subjects like English, mathematics, and science, where pupils exhibit a deep understanding of their learning. However, there are areas for improvement, notably in foundation subjects where the coherence of learning can be enhanced.

Strengths

• Strong sense of community and support for all pupils
• Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND
• Ambitious leaders focused on high-quality education for all
• Strong emphasis on early reading instruction
• Inclusive environment that celebrates diversity
• Comprehensive safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent development of skills in foundation subjects
• Insufficient opportunities for key stage 1 pupils to consolidate learning in foundation subjects

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 Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.0% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Our Lady's Roman 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 Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School had 22.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.5% 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, 11.3% of pupils at Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% 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 Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School received £6,173 and spent £6,001 for each of its 325 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £801,000 (£2,466 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Company, income was £7,222 and spending £7,198 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 Oxford · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications

Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School is part of The Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Company, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore Oxford
• Greyfriars Catholic School Oxford
• St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Kidlington Kidlington
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Thame Thame
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bicester Bicester
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Witney Witney
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Carterton Carterton
• Holy Trinity Catholic School, Chipping Norton Chipping Norton
• Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixth Form Banbury
• St John's Catholic Primary School Banbury

What is Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2022.

When was Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School was last inspected in May 2022.

How many pupils does Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School have?

Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School has 318 pupils on roll.

What age range does Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School cover?

Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School?

Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School is at Oxford Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2LF.