St Catherine's Roman Catholic School, Bridport

Requires Improvement
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 511

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.3km)Possible (~1.9km)Unlikely (~2.4km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Paula Fearn
Pupils:100 / 210 capacity
LA:Dorset
Phone:01308423568
Address:Pymore Road, Bridport, DT6 3TR
Trust:PLYMOUTH CAST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2014

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 13 January 2026View full report
URN:140757
UKPRN:10045636
Diocese:Diocese of Plymouth
Constituency:West Dorset
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school has created a clear, well-planned curriculum that builds learning systematically for all pupils, with a strong emphasis on reading skills. Staff and governors work together positively to support improvement, and the school provides good early preparation for young children starting their formal learning. Leadership has introduced helpful support systems like subject leader surgeries and nurture provision for pupils with additional needs.

Key Strengths

  • Well-planned and carefully sequenced curriculum with clear learning pathways
  • Strong focus on reading and early reading teaching that is well embedded
  • Effective support for subject leaders through planned surgeries and networking opportunities
  • Good early years provision with children well prepared for formal learning
  • Positive school culture with staff and governors united behind school priorities

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment systems and checking of pupil learning are not consistently developed across all curriculum areas
  • Gaps in pupil learning are not always well addressed when checks on understanding are weaker
  • Subject leaders are transitioning to new oversight areas and need continued support to embed subjects securely

St Catherine's Roman Catholic School has made progress in improving the school under new leadership since the previous inspection, with a clear focus on curriculum planning and reading. However, some aspects still need further improvement.

At a Glance

21.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-16ppMaths-18ppWriting-3pp

Reading has declined from 71% to 55%. Maths has declined from 58% to 40%. Writing has remained stable at around 60%.

Class Sizes

23.6

Avg class size

5

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Armstrong Road (N-bound)
478m · 8 min walk
Orchard Avenue (E-bound)
501m · 8 min walk
North Mills Trading Estate (N-bound)
604m · 10 min walk
Travis Perkins (N-bound)
618m · 10 min walk
Allington Mead (SW-bound)
639m · 10 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

48%

Available places

100 pupils

210 capacity

110 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Bridport

Low pressure
New homes approved:474
Projected new pupils:119

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bridport

Admissions Demand - Dorset

Low demand0.74x oversubscription

Places available

3,776

Applications

2,808

Got 1st preference

94.1%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Dorset (2025/26)

Inspection History(9)

13 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
18 September 2025
7 June 2023

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.86402%

Overall absence

22.72727%

Persistent absence

110

Enrolments

Authorised5.963%
Unauthorised1.90102%
Persistent (10%+)22.72727%
Severe (50%+)4.54545%

Absence trend

4.13853%
18/19
2.54527%
20/21
5.69263%
21/22
5.54059%
22/23
5.8605%
23/24
7.86402%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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