St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, St Albans
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in St Albans, part of All Saints Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 32 schools in St Albans with published results, and 2,629th of 14,452 across England. It was 72% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- 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 Hertfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in detail
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At St John Fisher Catholic Primary School we are committed to inspiring and developing confident, independent individuals who take ownership of their learning and are well prepared for the next stage of their education journey. We extend our curriculum in order to provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to experience and enhance success."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, dance and chess.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Monday 9 November 2026, an open evening on Monday 9 November 2026 and an open day on Monday 16 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Hertfordshire
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 76% in Hertfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 94% in reading and 91% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Skyswood Primary & Nursery School (0.1 miles, 93% reading, 93% maths); Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School (0.5 miles); Wheatfields Junior Mixed School (0.5 miles, 90% reading, 90% maths); and Oakwood Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 85% reading, 89% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
Skyswood Primary & Nursery SchoolWheatfields Infants' and Nursery SchoolWheatfields Junior Mixed SchoolOakwood Primary School
The trust
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 14 schools run by All Saints Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 71% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
33.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (39%), Chinese (16%) and Mixed (16%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (7.5%) received SEN support and 4 (3%) 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.
Staffing
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hazelmere Road (near), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 83 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy issued 4 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Sandringham School (0.4 miles), Beaumont School (0.8 miles), Verulam School (0.9 miles) and St Albans Girls' School (1.2 miles).
Sandringham SchoolBeaumont SchoolVerulam SchoolSt Albans Girls' School
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; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as St John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School (URN 117480), it was rated Good in January 2012.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St John Fisher creates a happy, welcoming environment where pupils from all backgrounds thrive. The school has high expectations for every pupil and supports them well to succeed, particularly those with additional needs or who speak English as an additional language. Through a well-planned curriculum and strong promotion of reading, pupils build knowledge progressively and develop a genuine love of learning.
Key Strengths
- Carefully planned curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge progressively, with clear vocabulary teaching that supports SEND pupils and those learning English as an additional language
- Strong promotion of reading with daily phonics lessons for early readers and recognition systems that encourage pupils to read regularly
- Positive behaviour and calm, purposeful atmosphere where pupils are respectful and engaged in learning
- Rich, diverse community that teaches pupils about different cultures and religions, preparing them well for life in modern Britain
- Pupils develop leadership and responsibility through roles like school councillors, librarians, and house captains
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum systems for checking and improving learning are less developed in some subjects beyond English, meaning pupils do not achieve as highly as they could
- Pupils do not have regular opportunities to practise writing skills in subjects such as history, geography and science, limiting their writing development
- Need to ensure teachers consistently provide writing opportunities across all subjects so pupils can apply and develop their writing skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Themed weeks, trips to local cathedral, museum and theatre, workshops, school council fundraising activities, school improvement projects
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School is a welcoming, caring school where pupils are eager to learn and achieve well across the curriculum. The school has maintained good standards and has taken effective action since its previous inspection.
At a Glance
17.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
23 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 94% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 91% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 88% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
19.1
Avg class size
12.7
Infant (KS1)
24.0
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
St John Fisher Newsletter 25th September 2026
25 Sep 2026
St John Fisher Newsletter 11th September 2026
11 Sep 2026
From St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Term dates
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Hertfordshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hertfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hertfordshire 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
72%
Available places
151 pupils
210 places
59 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - St Albans
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Albans
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
14,776
Applications
12,543
Got 1st preference
89.1%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
10.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
134
Total Pupils
63
Boys
71
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
11.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,935
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,953
Per pupil
£937k
Total funding
£32k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
10.1%
Persistent absence
148
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 John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as St John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School (URN 117480), it was rated Good in January 2012.
What is the catchment area for St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 72% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy average 19.1 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has around 134 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
4.5% of sessions were missed at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 10.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy 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.
How many road collisions happen near St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Hazelmere Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9RW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)