St Francis V.A. Primary School, Cardiff
St Francis V.A. Primary School is a primary school for pupils in Cardiff.
- Estyn
- Not in follow-up
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Francis V.A. Primary School in detail
School in Wales
St Francis V.A. Primary School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.
It had 325 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.
57% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).
Of its pupils, 7% have additional learning needs (16% in 2020/21); 20% are learning English as an additional language; and 48% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Year groups range from 30 pupils (Year 2) to 52 (Year 6).
What Estyn said
Estyn's most recent full inspection report on St Francis V.A. Primary School dates from 2026.
Read the full Estyn report (school website)
Source: © Crown copyright, Estyn: "Inspection report St Francis R C Junior School ENG 2007 (English only)". Quoted under Estyn's re-use terms.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Francis V.A. Primary School are Windsor Clive Primary School (0.2 miles), Hywel Dda Primary School (0.4 miles), Pencaerau Primary school (0.5 miles) and Herbert Thompson Primary (0.7 miles).
Windsor Clive Primary SchoolHywel Dda Primary SchoolPencaerau Primary schoolHerbert Thompson Primary
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Waun-gron Park Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Francis School (outside), 130 metres away.
Sources: Welsh Government school data and StatsWales (OGL); Estyn; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASInspection
Schools in Wales are inspected by Estyn, not Ofsted. Read St Francis V.A. Primary School's Estyn reports.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Keep up with St Francis V.A. Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Francis V.A. Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Francis V.A. Primary School is in Cardiff; for families living there:
Apply to Cardiff for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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 Cardiff is 10 (the median across 144 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
Questions parents ask about St Francis V.A. Primary School
What is the catchment area for St Francis V.A. Primary School?
In Wales catchment areas are set by the local authority, so St Francis V.A. Primary School has a defined catchment published by Cardiff. Living in it does not guarantee a place - when the school is oversubscribed Cardiff applies the published criteria, which usually put looked-after children first, then siblings, then distance - but it normally carries priority.
How do I apply to St Francis V.A. Primary School?
Apply through Cardiff, naming St Francis V.A. Primary School on your application. Welsh admission deadlines are set by each local authority rather than nationally, so check Cardiff's admissions pages for this year's closing date.
How many road collisions happen near St Francis V.A. Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 Cardiff is 10 (the median across 144 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Francis V.A. Primary School?
St Francis V.A. Primary School is at Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff, CF5 4JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)