Holy Family VA RC Primary School, Salford
Holy Family VA RC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Salford. It has a Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 24th-highest of the 29 schools in Salford with published results, and 13,056th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Salford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Holy Family VA RC Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Family VA RC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 52% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 73% in Salford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 87% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Family VA RC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 46 families put Holy Family VA RC Primary School as their first choice and 90 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 16 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Family VA RC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Family VA RC Primary School are Willow Tree Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 78% maths); Lark Hill Community Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 78% reading, 67% maths); St Paul's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 71% reading, 74% maths); and St George's CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 48% reading, 38% maths).
Holy Family VA RC Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Willow Tree Primary SchoolLark Hill Community Primary SchoolSt Paul's CofE Primary SchoolSt George's CofE Primary School
What parents say
78 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Family VA RC Primary School (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 46% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (46%).
Who goes there
39.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Mixed (32%), White British (27%) and Black (21%).
In 2026, 61 pupils (25.6%) received SEN support and 7 (2.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Langworthy (Manchester Metrolink), about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
20 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tesco Salford (outside), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holy Family VA RC Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Family VA RC Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Family VA RC Primary School are Buile Hill Academy (0.6 miles), The Albion Academy (0.7 miles), AldridgeUTC@MediaCityUK (0.9 miles) and All Hallows RC High School (1 mile).
Buile Hill AcademyThe Albion AcademyAldridgeUTC@MediaCityUKAll Hallows RC High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2017, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holy Family creates a caring, inclusive environment where pupils from around the world settle quickly and thrive. The school has high expectations for achievement and equips pupils with strong life skills, confidence and positive attitudes. Reading is prioritised from the earliest stages, and pupils develop as responsible young citizens through leadership roles and community involvement.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are welcomed warmly and feel proud to belong to the school
- Strong behaviour and positive attitudes to learning throughout the school
- Ambitious, well-thought-out curriculum with careful sequencing from Nursery onwards
- Early reading is prioritised with effective phonics teaching and regular progress checks
- Personal, social and health education develops pupils' understanding of rights, wellbeing and online safety
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum impact checking is not robust enough, so gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified quickly
- New learning does not always build securely on what pupils already know, particularly for some pupils with SEND
- Staff sometimes lack detailed knowledge of pupils due to recent staffing changes, affecting progress in some cases
- Governors need better information-sharing processes to have a complete picture of pupil achievement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Drama, cooking, play opportunities at breaktime, leadership roles (playleader, school councillor), class charity work, 50 things activities
Holy Family VA RC Primary School is a Catholic primary school in Salford that provides a warm, welcoming environment where pupils from diverse backgrounds feel well cared for and ready to learn. The school has experienced staffing changes but maintains good standards across quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
At a Glance
17.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
78 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 87% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 80% to 52% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 77% to 66% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Family VA RC Primary School
Term dates
Holy Family VA RC Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Salford's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Family VA RC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Family VA RC Primary School is in Salford; for families living there:
- Salford's school travel policy: Salford home to school transport policy 2026 (Adobe PDF format, 156kb)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 14 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Holy Family VA RC Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Family VA RC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Family VA RC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Family VA RC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Family VA RC Primary School.
- Salford publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Holy Family VA RC Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holy Family VA RC Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Salford got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Salford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Salford
Across Salford council
Places available
3,266
Applications
2,753
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
97.8%
All primary applications across Salford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
61
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
28.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
238
Total Pupils
118
Boys
120
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
18.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,097
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,980
Per pupil
£1385k
Total funding
£77k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
10.9%
Persistent absence
183
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holy Family VA RC Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holy Family VA RC Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Family VA RC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 66% reached the expected standard in reading and 52% did so in maths.
What is Holy Family VA RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Family VA RC Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Family VA RC Primary School is oversubscribed, Salford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Holy Family VA RC Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Classes at Holy Family VA RC Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Holy Family VA RC Primary School has around 238 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
4.9% of sessions were missed at Holy Family VA RC Primary School in 2024/25. 10.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Apply through Salford's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Family VA RC Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 7 serious and 14 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Salford is 19.5 (the median across 136 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holy Family VA RC Primary School?
Holy Family VA RC Primary School is at No 3 Lower Seedley Road, Salford, Lancashire, M6 5WX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)