St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth, Morpeth
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Morpeth, part of Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was 95% full in 2025.
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Northumberland (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth in detail
Getting a place at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth as their first choice and 54 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 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 Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth are Abbeyfields First School (0.4 miles, Outstanding); Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School (0.7 miles); Morpeth First School (0.9 miles, Good); and Morpeth Stobhillgate First School (1 mile).
Abbeyfields First SchoolMorpeth All Saints Church of England First SchoolMorpeth First SchoolMorpeth Stobhillgate First School
The trust
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth is one of 39 schools run by Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
91 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
6.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%), Asian (6%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 30 pupils (16.9%) received SEN support and 2 (1.1%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Railway station, about 840 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oldgate (eastbound), 30 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth are Morpeth Chantry Middle School (0.4 miles), Morpeth Newminster Middle School (0.4 miles), The King Edward VI School (0.5 miles) and Kyloe House (1 mile).
Morpeth Chantry Middle SchoolMorpeth Newminster Middle SchoolThe King Edward VI SchoolKyloe House
Sources: 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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as St Robert's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided First School (URN 122312), it was rated Good in February 2016.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a school where children thrive and feel valued. Teachers teach reading, writing and other subjects really well, with children making excellent progress. The school goes beyond the classroom to offer forest activities, trips and clubs that help your child develop confidence, resilience and understanding of the wider world.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve particularly well in writing, with strong phonics teaching supporting accurate spelling and fluent writing from an early age
- Teachers use ambitious curriculum planning and expert subject knowledge to help pupils gain important knowledge and skills as they progress
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to access the full curriculum and achieve well alongside their peers
- Strong reading programme starting from early years, with effective identification and support for pupils who find reading challenging
- School provides extensive enrichment opportunities including forest provision and educational visits that build confidence and understanding of important values
Areas for Improvement
- In early years, some activities and adult support do not help children practise and build on what they already know, missing opportunities for secure learning development
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest provision, singing, dancing, educational visits including Houses of Parliament trip
St Roberts Catholic First School in Morpeth has successfully maintained the good standards from its previous inspection. Pupils love attending the school, showing high attendance and exemplary attitudes to their learning.
At a Glance
6.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
91 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
27.8
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
31.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth.
- KUMON MORPETH220m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth is in Northumberland; for families living there:
Apply to Northumberland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 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 Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
Will you get a place at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Northumberland, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Northumberland 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
95%
Near capacity
143 pupils
150 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Morpeth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Morpeth
Across Northumberland council
Places available
3,735
Applications
2,569
Got 1st preference
96.8%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Northumberland 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
30
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
18.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
177
Total Pupils
85
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
22.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,011
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,224
Per pupil
£811k
Total funding
£9k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
6.7%
Persistent absence
120
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 Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
Questions parents ask about St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth
What is St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth's Ofsted rating?
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in April 2022. Before that, as St Robert's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided First School (URN 122312), it was rated Good in February 2016.
What is the catchment area for St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
No fixed boundary. When St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth is oversubscribed, Northumberland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
Classes at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth average 27.8 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 Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth has around 177 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth in 2024/25. 6.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
Apply through Northumberland's coordinated admissions process, naming St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth 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 Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth: KUMON MORPETH (220m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Northumberland is 3 (the median across 175 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth?
St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth is at Oldgate, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)