St Catherine's Roman Catholic School, Bridport

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades St Catherine's Roman Catholic School on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders designed the early years curriculum so that children's knowledge builds logically over time."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has established a well-considered personal development offer."

Achievement - Needs attention. "A significant number of pupils, including some who are disadvantaged, are not prepared for the academic demands of secondary school."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders are committed to raising pupils' attendance and reducing persistent absence."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Some teachers lack the expertise to implement the curriculum in ways that meet pupils' needs."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "The provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not consistently effective."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "In some aspects of the school's provision, there is a lack of strategic oversight, and priorities are not clearly identified."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that staff know how to adapt learning and provide targeted support more consistently so that pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged are better supported to achieve well. • Leaders should ensure that the teaching of writing develops pupils' foundational spelling knowledge and improves the quality of their handwriting and written work across the curriculum. • Leaders should closely analyse and act on the performance outcomes of vulnerable groups of pupils so that these pupils achieve well. • Leaders should ensure that the work they have begun to improve attendance continues and consistently improves pupils' attendance and reduces rates of persistent absence. • Leaders at all levels need to sharpen their strategic oversight so that work is systematic and leads to rapid improvement".

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £4 per session.

In 2025, 55% of Year 6 pupils at St Catherine's Roman Catholic School reached the expected standard in reading and 40% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 71% in reading and 58% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 13 families put St Catherine's Roman Catholic School as their first choice and 34 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Catherine's Roman Catholic School are Bridport Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 64% reading, 66% maths); Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School (1.1 miles, Good, 72% reading, 68% maths); Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 83% reading, 75% maths); and Loders CofE Primary Academy (1.6 miles, Good, 58% reading, 50% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Catherine's Roman Catholic School.

St Catherine's Roman Catholic School is one of 34 schools run by Plymouth Cast, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

43 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Catherine's Roman Catholic School (as of April 2026): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (77%).

5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 29 pupils (29%) received SEN support and 4 (4%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Catherine's Roman Catholic School.

In August 2026, police recorded 87 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Catherine's Roman Catholic School issued 9 suspensions, 7.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.