The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold, Nottingham
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Nottingham, part of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 56th-highest of the 191 schools in Nottingham with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Nottinghamshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold in detail
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Nottinghamshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 80% in maths).
Getting a place at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
For September 2026 entry, 71 families put The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold as their first choice and 151 named it as one of their preferences, for 69 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold are Woodthorpe Infant School (0.3 miles, Outstanding); Ernehale Infant School (0.3 miles, Good); Ernehale Junior School (0.3 miles, Good, 93% reading, 91% maths); and Arno Vale Junior School (0.3 miles).
Woodthorpe Infant SchoolErnehale Infant SchoolErnehale Junior SchoolArno Vale Junior School
The trust
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is one of 36 schools run by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
All 36 schools in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust
What parents say
120 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 74% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (74%).
Who goes there
8.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 47 pupils (10.4%) received SEN support and 6 (1.3%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Basford Tram Stop, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Littlegreen Road (opposite), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold 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 247 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold issued 8 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold are Arnold Hill Spencer Academy (0.4 miles), Christ The King Voluntary Academy (0.7 miles) and The Wells Academy (1.1 miles).
Arnold Hill Spencer AcademyChrist The King Voluntary AcademyThe Wells Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from October 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a joyful school where children love learning and feel genuinely valued. Teachers are highly skilled and use expert techniques to help every child succeed, including those with additional needs. The school goes far beyond the basics, offering numerous opportunities for pupils to discover new talents and expand their horizons.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding teaching with expert checks on learning and carefully crafted questions to test understanding
- Ambitious, well-organised curriculum focused on essential knowledge that pupils remember long-term
- Exceptional pastoral care and behaviour, with pupils showing high levels of respect and kindness
- Outstanding early years provision where children are engrossed in learning activities
- Strong focus on reading with well-trained staff and engaging sessions like 'rock up and read'
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders demonstrating expertise in their statutory duties and creating an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
sporting activities, musical activities, creative activities, trips, residentials, 'rock up and read' sessions, 'The Good Shepherd Experience', parliamentarians roles, mini leaders, chaplaincy team, newspaper editors, charity fundraising
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary is an outstanding school where pupils feel happy, safe and respected. Staff create an ambitious curriculum and an environment where every child thrives and develops a genuine love of learning.
At a Glance
8.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
120 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 remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
13
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold.
- Holiday Activities For Kids - Good ShepherdAt the school · Not yet graded
- Woodthorpe Infants School Holiday Club490m away · Not yet graded
- The Lime Trees at Ernehale Infant School520m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Nottinghamshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is in Nottinghamshire; for families living there:
- Nottinghamshire's school travel policy: Under 16 Transport Policy 2026-2027
- How to apply: Apply for under 16 travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 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 The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
Will you get a place at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Nottinghamshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Nottinghamshire 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
99%
Near capacity
418 pupils
420 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Nottingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Nottingham
Across Nottinghamshire council
Places available
10,513
Applications
7,912
Got 1st preference
99.1%
Got preferred school
99.7%
All primary applications across Nottinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
47
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
11.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
454
Total Pupils
227
Boys
227
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
22.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,273
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2247k
Total funding
£62k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
8.3%
Persistent absence
363
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
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
Questions parents ask about The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold
What are SATs results like at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
Of the pupils at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold's Ofsted rating?
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
No fixed boundary. When The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is oversubscribed, Nottinghamshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
Classes at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold has around 454 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
4.3% of sessions were missed at The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold in 2024/25. 8.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
Apply through Nottinghamshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold 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 The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Holiday Activities For Kids - Good Shepherd (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 7 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold?
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary, Arnold is at Somersby Road, Woodthorpe, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 4LT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)