St Columba CE Primary School, Fareham
St Columba CE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Fareham, part of Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 20 schools in Fareham with published results, and 3,408th of 14,452 across England. It was 46% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Columba CE Primary School in detail
St Columba CE Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome you to St Columba CE Primary School as its new Head of School. Although I am new to the St Columba community, I have already been struck by the warmth, kindness and sense of belonging that make this school such a special place."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, multi-sports and Lego.
The school runs after-school care until 5:30pm, from £4 per session.
Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 24 November 2026 and an open evening on Thursday 26 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hampshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at St Columba CE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 56% in reading and 44% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Columba CE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put St Columba CE Primary School as their first choice and 27 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Columba CE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Columba CE Primary School are Orchard Lea Infant School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement); Orchard Lea Junior School (0.5 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths); Ranvilles Junior School (0.9 miles, Good, 84% reading, 86% maths); and Ranvilles Infant School (0.9 miles, Outstanding).
St Columba CE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
Orchard Lea Infant SchoolOrchard Lea Junior SchoolRanvilles Junior SchoolRanvilles Infant School
The trust
St Columba CE Primary School is one of 28 schools run by Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
39% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Black (5%).
In 2026, 24 pupils (24%) received SEN support and 11 (11%) 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.
Staffing
St Columba CE Primary School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Fareham Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Henry Cort Drive (near), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Columba CE 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, St Columba CE Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 12.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Columba CE Primary School are The Henry Cort Community College (0.2 miles) and Fareham Academy (1.3 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
There has been much turbulence in senior leadership over the past few years. The school is now in safe hands and is going from strength to strength in 'growing futures, rooted in love, hope and respect.' Expectations have risen. Pupils are happy. Parents have noticed the many positive changes in this very caring school.
Pupils behave well. The school's rule of 'be ready, respectful and safe' is understood by all. Pupils are kind to each other. They try hard in lessons, presenting their work with pride. Pupils love receiving a 'rainbow shout-out' for following the school rules. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Everyone is welcome at St Columba. Pupils of all ages play together during breaktimes nicely.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Recent changes have made such a positive difference to pupils' learning and behaviour. The trust, school leaders and staff are united in their ambition for pupils in this school. The school's transition board, which has aspects of governance delegated to it, rightly offers strong support and challenge to the school.
The school has successfully introduced a new approach to the teaching of phonics. Pupils learn to read well. They practise reading using books that contain the sounds that they know. Any pupil who needs extra support in remembering letter sounds or blending sounds together receives the help they need. The school promotes reading well, with initiatives such as 'reading bingo'. Pupils read widely and often, from a wide range of reading genres.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
39.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 56% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 44% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.0
Avg class size
23.0
Infant (KS1)
27.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Columba CE Primary School
Before and after school care
St Columba CE Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Hampshire
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Columba CE Primary School.
- CM Sports After School Club770m away · Not yet graded
- ActiveMe CIC @ Orchard Lea Junior School770m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Columba CE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Columba CE Primary School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 10 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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 Columba CE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Columba CE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Columba CE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Columba CE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Columba CE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Columba CE Primary School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hampshire 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
46%
Available places
97 pupils
210 places
113 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Fareham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Fareham
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,642
Applications
12,982
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
24
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
35.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
100
Total Pupils
48
Boys
52
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
12.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,871
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,932
Per pupil
£727k
Total funding
£61k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
10.1%
Persistent absence
89
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
St Columba CE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Columba CE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Columba CE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Columba CE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is St Columba CE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Columba CE Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for St Columba CE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Columba CE Primary School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Columba CE Primary School?
St Columba CE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 46% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Columba CE Primary School?
Classes at St Columba CE Primary School average 25 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Columba CE Primary School?
St Columba CE Primary School has around 100 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Columba CE Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Columba CE Primary School in 2024/25. 10.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Columba CE Primary School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Columba CE 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.
Does St Columba CE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Columba CE Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Columba CE Primary School: CM Sports After School Club (770m away, registered, not yet graded) and ActiveMe CIC @ Orchard Lea Junior School (770m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St Columba CE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 10 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Columba CE Primary School?
St Columba CE Primary School is at Tewkesbury Avenue, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 6LL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)