St Catherine's RC School, Barnet
St Catherine's RC School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Barnet. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 3rd-highest of the 14 schools in Barnet with published results, and 361st of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Barnet (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Catherine's RC School in detail
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at St Catherine's RC School reached the expected standard in reading and 95% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 85% and 85% in Barnet and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (92% in reading, 97% in maths).
Getting a place at St Catherine's RC School
For September 2026 entry, 61 families put St Catherine's RC School as their first choice and 149 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Catherine's RC School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Catherine's RC School are Underhill School (0.6 miles, Good, 76% reading, 85% maths); Cromer Road Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 90% maths); Foulds School (0.9 miles, Good, 93% reading, 89% maths); and Monken Hadley CofE Primary School (1 mile, Outstanding, 96% reading, 100% maths).
St Catherine's RC School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Underhill SchoolCromer Road Primary SchoolFoulds SchoolMonken Hadley CofE Primary School
Who goes there
4.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 48.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (45%), Mixed (13%) and Asian (10%).
In 2026, 51 pupils (10.9%) received SEN support and 9 (1.9%) 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 High Barnet Station, about 170 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Barnet Station, 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 215 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Barnet (370).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Catherine's RC School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Catherine's RC School are Ark Pioneer Academy (0.2 miles); Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School (0.2 miles); The Totteridge Academy (0.7 miles); and Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet (0.9 miles).
Ark Pioneer AcademyQueen Elizabeth's Girls' SchoolThe Totteridge AcademyQueen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2022 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Catherine's is an inclusive, happy school where children thrive and feel safe. Teachers expect high standards and have created thoughtful learning environments that help pupils concentrate and succeed. The school offers extensive opportunities for learning outside the classroom, and pupils genuinely love coming to school.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils are happy, polite and articulate with strong conduct in lessons
- Excellent reading instruction with well-trained teachers who provide regular progress checks and matched books
- Strong personal development focusing on respect for other faiths and cultures with leadership opportunities
- Well-sequenced curriculum in subjects like history, mathematics and music that builds cumulative understanding
- Effective safeguarding with well-trained staff and strong partnerships with external agencies
Areas for Improvement
- Need to identify key knowledge pupils should learn in science and geography so teaching focuses on important concepts
- Early years vocabulary development not always clear, creating gaps in children's knowledge before Year 1
- Some pupils receive work that is too difficult and not focused on what they need to know in certain subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - staff are well trained to spot signs of harm, there is thorough training on emerging issues, and leaders work well with external agencies to support pupils and families.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, house and sports captains, Rights Respecting Ambassador roles, forest school, extensive clubs, visits and trips
St Catherine's RC School is a primary school in Barnet judged as Good overall, with Outstanding ratings for behaviour, attitudes and personal development. The school has strong relationships between pupils, staff and families, and pupils produce good quality work across a range of subjects.
At a Glance
4.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 92% to 97% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 95% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.2
Avg class size
29.8
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
12
Total classes
5 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Catherine's RC School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Catherine's RC School.
- Let's Get Learning610m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Catherine's RC School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Catherine's RC School is in Barnet; for families living there:
Apply to Barnet for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 63
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 55 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
9 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 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 St Catherine's RC School
Will you get a place at St Catherine's RC School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Catherine's RC School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Catherine's RC School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Catherine's RC School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Barnet, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Catherine's RC School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Barnet 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
97%
Near capacity
423 pupils
437 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnet
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnet
Across Barnet council
Places available
4,268
Applications
3,649
Got 1st preference
86.1%
Got preferred school
98.0%
All primary applications across Barnet council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
12.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
470
Total Pupils
224
Boys
246
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
18.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,486
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,236
Per pupil
£2375k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.2%
Overall absence
5.1%
Persistent absence
369
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
Questions parents ask about St Catherine's RC School
What are SATs results like at St Catherine's RC School?
Of the pupils at St Catherine's RC School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 95% did so in maths.
What is St Catherine's RC School's Ofsted rating?
St Catherine's RC School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2009 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Catherine's RC School?
No fixed boundary. When St Catherine's RC School is oversubscribed, Barnet allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Catherine's RC School?
St Catherine's RC School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Catherine's RC School?
Classes at St Catherine's RC School average 30.2 pupils (2025/26). 5 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Catherine's RC School?
St Catherine's RC School has around 470 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Catherine's RC School?
3.2% of sessions were missed at St Catherine's RC School in 2024/25. 5.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Catherine's RC School?
Apply through Barnet's coordinated admissions process, naming St Catherine's RC 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.
Does St Catherine's RC School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Catherine's RC School: Let's Get Learning (610m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Catherine's RC School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 63 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 55 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 9 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 Barnet is 53 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Catherine's RC School?
St Catherine's RC School is at Vale Drive, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 2ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)