St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden, Saffron Walden
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Saffron Walden, part of St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 11 schools in Saffron Walden with published results, and 423rd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden in detail
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden in its own words
The school runs after-school care until 4:15pm, from £5 per session.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 9.30am and an open day on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (97% in reading, 91% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden as their first choice and 76 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 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 Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden are R A Butler Junior School (0.1 miles, Outstanding, 93% reading, 93% maths); R A Butler Infant School (0.1 miles, Good); St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 90% maths); and Katherine Semar Infant School (0.6 miles, Outstanding).
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
R A Butler Junior SchoolR A Butler Infant SchoolSt Mary's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolKatherine Semar Infant School
The trust
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden is run by its own single-school academy trust.
Who goes there
2.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 27 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 2 (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 Audley End Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bell School (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2013 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
2.4%
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 remained stable at around 97% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 94% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 94% to 100% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden.
- R A B Late Play Club280m away · Not yet graded
- Club Excel at Dame Bradbury's School1000m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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 Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Will you get a place at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex 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
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Saffron Walden
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Saffron Walden
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
27
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
14.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
206
Total Pupils
101
Boys
105
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,325
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1104k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
3.2%
Persistent absence
187
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 Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
Questions parents ask about St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden
What are SATs results like at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
Of the pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 94% did so in maths.
What is St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
Classes at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden average 29.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden has around 206 pupils on roll. 2% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
3.1% of sessions were missed at St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden in 2024/25. 3.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden 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 Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden: R A B Late Play Club (280m away, registered, not yet graded) and Club Excel at Dame Bradbury's School (1000m 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 Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden?
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Saffron Walden is at South Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3DW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)