St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Leeds

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils' work across subjects is of high quality."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders are very successful in promoting the importance of high attendance to pupils and their families."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a rich and relevant curriculum built around high-quality texts that capture pupils' imaginations."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a deep and accurate knowledge of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school provides an ambitious and comprehensive programme for pupils' personal development, rooted in its values."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate and realistic understanding of the quality of education in early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Pupils at St Paul's are known as individuals."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that individual targets for disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are precise so that teachers can evaluate the impact of support and respond promptly to any emerging needs"; "Leaders should build on recent early years improvements to ensure a greater proportion of pupils leave Reception well prepared for Year 1".

In its own words: "“I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) The Academy Council and school staff at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, VA, believe that education is an on-going process and is a partnership between all the home, church and school."

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is impossible to describe everything about St. Paul’s Catholic Primary School, VA here, and that is not our aim, but we hope that this site will give you an insight into the life of our special community and the ethos of our Catholic school. St Paul’s is a one-form entry Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11 years."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, hockey, multi-sports, cross-country, choir, chess and art.

The school runs after-school care.

Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 2pm, an open day on Friday 13 November 2026 at 1.30pm and an open day on Thursday 3 December 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 84% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Leeds and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (84% in reading, 84% in maths).

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

For September 2026 entry, 25 families put St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Alwoodley Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 90% reading, 85% maths); Allerton CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 79% reading, 75% maths); Brodetsky Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 91% reading, 88% maths); and Primley Wood Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 83% reading, 70% maths).

St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 9 schools run by St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

99 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (as of April 2026): 97% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (93%).

10.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 26 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Headingley Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nursery Lane (opposite), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Paul's 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 150 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Leeds (229).

St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Allerton High School (0.3 miles), Leeds Jewish Free School (0.5 miles), Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School (0.9 miles) and Carr Manor Community School (1.2 miles).