St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School is a caring, welcoming primary academy in Beeston, Leeds, inspected in October 2024 for the first time under section 5 (it had not previously been inspected, and this was its first routine inspection since the pandemic). Behaviour and attitudes and personal development were judged outstanding, with quality of education, leadership and management, and early years all good. Pupils are described as highly motivated, eager learners who achieve well, and the school has high expectations for all, including a high proportion of pupils with English as an additional language. Reading sits at the heart of the curriculum and pupils with SEND benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum and personalised support. The school's strengths lie in its strong pastoral ethos, rich wider opportunities (trips, leadership roles such as the 'Good Shepherd' event, and creative experiences), and well-developed early years provision. Staff feel well cared for and are unified behind the school's vision, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main area for improvement is the foundation subjects, where the curriculum is less securely embedded than in mathematics and reading, meaning pupils cannot consistently recall prior key knowledge. The school is asked to continue its work to ensure the curriculum is implemented well across all subjects.

Strengths

• Reading is at the heart of the curriculum and pupils develop a genuine love of reading
• Pupils with SEND benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum and personalised support
• Mathematics curriculum progresses in a clear, logical order and builds knowledge over time
• Children in early years get off to a strong start with purposeful adult interactions and a well-designed environment
• Behaviour and attitudes are outstanding and pupils love to attend school
• Personal development is outstanding, enriched by trips, visits and creative experiences
• Pupils enjoy valuable leadership opportunities, including the 'Good Shepherd' event and Year 6 buddy roles
• The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with English as an additional language
• Strong caring ethos with high standards, supported by a resolute trust, diocese and academy council
• Staff feel cared for and are proud to work at the school
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of learning

Areas for Improvement

• In some foundation subjects the curriculum is less securely embedded than in other subjects
• Pupils cannot consistently recall key knowledge previously taught in some foundation subjects
• The school should continue its work to ensure the curriculum is implemented well across all 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 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy attended 97.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.8% 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, 0.0% of pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a 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 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.3% 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, 31.5% of pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% 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 2024–25 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy received £7,732 and spent £7,413 for each of its 221 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £214,000 (£972 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust, income was £7,921 and spending £7,973 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 Leeds · Leeds local authority: places and applications

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is part of St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Holy Rosary and St Anne's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Leeds
• Corpus Christi Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy Leeds
• St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Leeds
• Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Leeds
• Christ The King Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Leeds
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Leeds
• St Urban's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Leeds
• St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Leeds

What is St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy have?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has 216 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy cover?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Lady Pit Lane, Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 6RX.