St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Basingstoke Review 2026: High-achieving Catholic primary with strong music and active travel culture

A Catholic primary where faith, inclusion, and academic ambition sit side by side, with outcomes that compare very strongly across England. In 2024, 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, far above the England average of 62%. The higher standard figure is equally striking at 44%, compared with an England benchmark of 8%.

Leadership is currently listed as Mr Jamie Carroll (headteacher). The most recent Ofsted inspection, with a report published on 05 October 2023, confirmed the school continues to be Good.

Families should also understand the admissions picture. Reception is oversubscribed in the most recent published cycle, with 109 applications for 60 offers, which is about 1.82 applications per place. Competition exists even before faith criteria are applied.

The school’s Catholic character is explicit rather than background. Admissions documentation sets the tone clearly, describing the school as founded by the Catholic Church, and placing priority for Catholic children within published oversubscription arrangements when demand exceeds places. This has practical implications for families, since the process includes supplementary paperwork for applicants seeking to be considered within Catholic categories.

Pastoral language in official reports points to a settled, respectful culture. The latest Ofsted report describes a harmonious community, with older pupils looking after younger pupils, and strong expectations around kindness and respect. This matches the school’s own emphasis on a shared faith community and on living out its mission in day-to-day routines.

The physical environment is used as part of the wider experience rather than simply a site. Official reporting highlights a woodland area that pupils use at playtime, alongside climbing equipment, and school communications on wraparound care also reference substantial grounds, woodland, and a large playing field that are used when conditions allow. Faith spaces also appear in formal Catholic inspection reporting, including reference to a Prayer Garden and close links to the parish, supported by proximity to the church.

A final part of the school’s identity is its approach to community participation and responsibility. Eco Council activity, including litter-picking and re-wilding, is cited within Ofsted reporting as part of personal development, giving pupils practical roles rather than token titles.

For a state primary, published outcomes are a core part of the value proposition, and here the data is difficult to ignore. In 2024, 89% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 44% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores reinforce the overall picture. Reading averaged 110, mathematics 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 111. The combined total across reading, GPS and maths is 329.

On the FindMySchool ranking (based on official performance data), the school is ranked 612th in England and 3rd in the Basingstoke area for primary outcomes. This places it well above England average, within the top 10% of schools in England for this measure (top 10%).

Parents comparing several local options should use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tools to view these results side by side, since a single strong headline number rarely tells the full story about fit.

Academic results tend to be more sustainable when they rest on curriculum design rather than short-term interventions. The latest Ofsted reporting describes a broad and ambitious curriculum that is being refined, with clear sequencing in many subjects. Mathematics is singled out as an example of careful structure, where pupils build on prior learning in a highly considered progression.

Reading is treated as central from the start. Formal reporting describes children being taught phonics from the beginning of Reception, alongside structured opportunities to build vocabulary through stories and rhymes in early years. That matters in practice because it points to early investment in the foundations that drive later outcomes, rather than relying on Year 6 acceleration alone.

Music also appears as more than an add-on. Ofsted deep dives included music, and the report references orchestra and choir activity as part of wider enrichment. The Catholic Schools Inspectorate report goes further, describing high quality music as enhancing school life, including prayer and liturgy. For families with children who respond well to structured, communal activities, this sort of musical culture can be a strong motivator and confidence builder through Key Stage 2.

As a primary school, the key transition is into Year 7, and for many families the question is less about one destination and more about the range of realistic pathways. St Bede’s sits within the Hampshire coordinated admissions system, and families typically consider both local non-faith secondaries and Catholic options, depending on preference and place availability.

For families prioritising a Catholic secondary route, Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School lists St Bede’s Catholic Primary School among its linked primary schools, which provides a clear line of continuity for families who want faith education through to 16 or 18.

The school’s own reporting also places weight on preparing pupils for the next stage more generally, including personal development content around healthy relationships, managing risk, and life in modern Britain.

St Bede’s is a voluntary aided Catholic primary, with the governing body acting as the admissions authority, while Hampshire undertakes the coordinated admissions process for the main round. This structure matters because families need to complete the local authority application route, and, where relevant, additional school documentation to be considered under faith categories.

Reception entry for September 2026

Hampshire’s published timetable for September 2026 is clear and specific. Applications open on 01 November 2025, the deadline is 15 January 2026, and on-time applicants receive outcomes on 16 April 2026. These dates are important for planning, particularly for families gathering baptismal documentation or parish confirmation for supplementary forms.

Demand and competitiveness

In the most recent published Reception cycle the school is oversubscribed with 109 applications for 60 offers. That is approximately 1.82 applications per place. This is a meaningful level of competition, even before considering how oversubscription criteria rank applicants within categories.

The school also addresses the question of faith and entry directly. Its admissions information states that approximately 10% of pupils are non-Catholic, and it confirms that Catholic children are prioritised where the school is oversubscribed, in line with the expectations of the Diocese.

Catchment and distance

A last offered distance is not published for the most recent year. Families should therefore avoid relying on informal distance estimates. If distance is a deciding factor for your family, use FindMySchool Map Search to check precise home-to-school measurements and then cross-check the current year’s published admissions guidance from Hampshire and the school.

The school’s inclusion story is evidence-led. Ofsted describes SEND needs being identified accurately and staff adapting activities so pupils with SEND complete similar work to peers and achieve well. That approach aligns with the school’s staffing structure, which includes an Inclusion Manager and a SENDCo role.

Safeguarding is stated clearly within the latest Ofsted report as effective. Beyond safeguarding, pastoral systems appear to include structured support, for example ELSA support listed within staffing information, which suggests an accessible layer of emotional support for pupils who benefit from targeted conversations and strategies.

Behaviour standards appear high and consistent. Formal reporting describes pupils’ behaviour as exemplary and highlights a calm, respectful environment with very little disruption to learning.

Extracurricular is described as a mix of sport, creativity, and structured enrichment, with a combination of staff-led and external provider options. The clubs page names orchestra club and Lego and coding club, alongside provision such as Spanish club and Rock-Steady. This matters because it offers breadth across different learner profiles, including pupils who are motivated by building, making, and performing, not only by competitive sport.

Music is a particular pillar. The school describes a strong musical tradition, including choir activity that performs beyond the school, and Key Stage 2 instrument learning delivered through Hampshire Music Service. The Catholic Schools Inspectorate report also links music directly to worship and liturgy, which indicates that performance is integrated into faith life rather than treated as a separate department.

Active travel is another distinctive thread. The school’s Modeshift STARS page states it achieved a Bronze Award in January 2022 and lists initiatives such as Walk Once a Week, Bikeability training for Year 5 and Year 6, new Key Stage 2 bike and scooter storage, and Park and Stride to reduce gate congestion. For families living close enough to walk or cycle, this can make daily routines simpler and less stressful. For families further away, it signals that the school takes practical safety and local community impact seriously.

Eco Council gives pupils visible responsibility. Formal reporting references eco-council work such as litter-picking and re-wilding areas of the field. This kind of pupil leadership tends to suit children who gain confidence through real jobs and tangible outcomes, especially when academic effort is high across the day.

The school day timetable is clearly published. Gates open at 8.40am, the school start time is 9.00am, and the day ends at 3.30pm. The published weekly opening time is 32.5 hours.

Wraparound care is run by the school. Breakfast Activity Club operates from 7.45am to 8.45am and After-School Club runs from 3.30pm to 6.00pm. Charges are listed as £6.00 per breakfast session and £12.00 per after-school session.

For travel, the school promotes walking and cycling, with on-site bike and scooter storage, and clear expectations that pupils do not ride bikes or scooters on school grounds. In practice, this points to a site that anticipates busy arrivals and departures and tries to keep movement orderly and safe.

• Admissions competition. With 109 applications for 60 offers in the latest published Reception cycle, competition is material. Families should treat application quality and deadline discipline as non-negotiable.

• Faith expectations are real. The admissions policy is explicit about the Catholic nature of the school and the expectation that families support its ethos, even while non-Catholic pupils do attend. This is a positive fit for many families, but it is not a neutral environment.

• Wraparound has a cost. Breakfast and after-school provision is clearly structured and school-run, but families using it regularly should factor in the published session charges.

• Some published transition content is dated. New intake pages include examples of specific dates in prior years, which can be useful for understanding the rhythm of transition, but families should rely on the current year’s official calendar for exact timing.

This is a high-performing Catholic primary with a strong sense of community, well-structured early reading and mathematics, and an unusually clear set of enrichment threads, particularly music, Eco Council activity, and active travel initiatives. The academic data puts it well above England average, and official reporting supports a calm, inclusive culture alongside high expectations.

Best suited to families who want a faith-centred primary experience, who value strong outcomes, and who will engage early with the admissions process. The main barrier is securing a place in a competitive Reception intake.