St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Bexleyheath Review 2026: Elite KS2 outcomes with a strong Catholic life

“Do more, be more for yourself, for others, for God” is the school’s headline message, and it reads like a practical brief rather than a slogan. In 2024, 95% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, a figure far above the England average of 62%. Alongside that, 43% reached the higher standard, compared with 8% across England. Those numbers explain why this is one of the most sought after primary options in its part of Bexleyheath.

The school is Catholic and the faith element is visible in daily routines, student leadership, service, and worship. That matters for admissions as well as culture. Entry is competitive; in the most recent admissions data available here, there were 123 applications for 56 offers for the primary entry route, around 2.2 applications per place.

Expect a structured, calm tone. External review evidence describes pupils as feeling safe, being well cared for, and showing exceptionally strong behaviour in class and around the school. Pupils are described as friendly, polite and courteous, with staff who know them extremely well.

Leadership roles are a key part of how the school builds confidence and responsibility. The Year 6 cohort has defined pupil jobs, including librarians, sports leaders, house captains and prayer leaders. The detail is unusually concrete, even down to pupils being responsible for caring for the school’s chickens and tortoises. For families, the implication is a school that takes citizenship seriously and offers lots of “small leadership” opportunities long before secondary school.

Catholic life is not bolted on. Pupil chaplaincy is organised through a named group, Sanctus, with pupils applying in Year 4 and then working through a two year cycle. Their responsibilities include year group prayer clubs, supporting Mass, maintaining the oratory, and helping to run faith based activities such as liturgical dance. If your child thrives when routines, service, and shared language are part of school life, that tends to be a strong fit.

This is also a school with a sense of continuity. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016, a reminder that many local families will have multi generational connections to the parish and community around it.

The headline picture is exceptionally strong for a state primary.

In 2024, 95% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 62% across England. At the higher standard, 43% reached the benchmark, compared with an England average of 8%. Science is also high, with 95% meeting the expected standard (England average: 82%).

The school’s Key Stage 2 scaled scores are also high: 111 in reading, 110 in maths, and 112 in grammar, punctuation and spelling, with a combined total score of 333.

Rankings reinforce that story. The school is ranked 181st in England for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data) and 1st in the Bexleyheath local area, placing it among the highest performing in England (top 2%).

For parents comparing several local primaries, a useful approach is to use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools so you can benchmark these Key Stage 2 outcomes against nearby options, while keeping admissions constraints in view.

The day is designed around explicit teaching and repeated practice. The school sets out its approach clearly: maths is taught using a Maths Mastery approach, writing draws on elements of Pie Corbett’s Talk for Writing, and phonics uses Little Wandle in the early years and Key Stage 1. That combination usually signals a school that values strong foundations in number, language, and decoding, with plenty of structured rehearsal.

Curriculum ambition comes through in subject choices and sequencing. External review evidence describes an ambitious curriculum that often exceeds what is expected, with subject leaders identifying key knowledge and skills, and sequencing content so pupils build cumulatively. Concrete examples are given in maths, where older pupils solve multi step problems because earlier number and place value work is secure, and in history, where early years concepts of past, present and future are built on later through cause and effect work.

Reading is treated as a whole school priority. The reading curriculum is described as highly effective, with staff trained to implement the phonics programme from Reception and targeted catch up for pupils who need it. A “positive culture of reading” is evidenced by pupils using the school library regularly and talking with confidence about books and authors. The practical implication for families is that weaker readers are likely to be identified quickly, and stronger readers are likely to be stretched through volume, discussion, and text rich classroom routines.

Special educational needs and disabilities support is framed as rapid identification and effective intervention, with pupils supported to access the same ambitious curriculum and included fully in school life. If your child needs structured adjustments but also benefits from staying in the main flow of classroom learning, that approach often works well.

As a primary, the key transition is Year 6 to Year 7. The school’s focus on reading confidence, mathematical security, and leadership responsibility tends to translate well into the independence expected at secondary.

For families planning early, it can help to understand the local secondary landscape around Bexleyheath. Nearby secondary options in the area include Bexleyheath Academy, Townley Grammar School, St Catherine’s Catholic School for Girls, and St Columba’s Catholic Boys’ School. Which of these is realistic will depend on your family’s priorities, admissions criteria, and, for selective routes, your child’s readiness for entrance tests.

Admission for Reception in Bexley is coordinated by the local authority. For September 2026 entry, the application window opens on 01 September 2025 and closes on 15 January 2026, with offers made on 16 April 2026. The school’s own admissions information highlights the same local authority deadline.

Demand is strong. The most recent admissions data available here shows 123 applications for 56 offers for the primary entry route, with the route labelled oversubscribed and a subscription proportion of 2.2 applications per place. In plain terms, even strong applicants can miss out, so it is worth having realistic back up choices.

Because this is a Catholic school, faith related evidence and supplementary paperwork can matter in the oversubscription process. The school’s admissions page points families towards a Certificate of Catholic Practice and associated forms. Families should read the published admissions policy carefully, especially if you are not connected to the parish, or if you are applying under a non faith priority category.

Open events are clearly signposted for the September 2026 intake. The school lists multiple weekday open mornings at 9:30am, including dates across late September, November, December, and one in mid January 2026. It also lists a Saturday open morning in September with booking required. If you are trying to judge “fit”, these are worth attending because the school’s strengths are as much about routines, expectations, and ethos as they are about results.

If you are checking your practical chances, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for modelling realistic options, but remember that allocation rules vary by category and year.

Safeguarding is treated as a baseline, not a headline. The most recent inspection evidence states that safeguarding arrangements are effective. Beyond that, the pastoral picture is built through consistency: high expectations, calm classrooms, swift correction of misconceptions, and staff who listen when pupils have worries.

Wellbeing is also supported through belonging and purpose. The house system includes four named houses, St Nicholas’, St Teresa’s, St Joseph’s and St Catherine’s, with pupils from Reception to Year 6 in each house and an emphasis on older pupils supporting younger pupils. This can be particularly helpful for quieter children who benefit from identity and team attachment beyond their classroom group.

Catholic service activities also contribute to the pastoral “why”. Mini Vinnies activity includes fundraising and community links, with examples such as raising money for the Royal British Legion. For many pupils, service becomes a socially acceptable way to show leadership and confidence.

Extracurricular breadth is unusually explicit, and it mixes enrichment, sport, arts, and language.

Clubs organised by external providers listed by the school include piano, guitar, football, drama and musical theatre, coding, science, art, cookery, Spanish, cricket, and multi skills sport. That matters because it signals access to specialist teaching without parents needing to coordinate multiple off site sessions.

Staff led clubs add distinctive character. The school lists Saints and Scholars (run before and after school, with crafts, games and construction), Singing Club, BSL Club, Prayer Club, plus named groups such as El Nido Club, The Chooks, and Shelpers. The immediate implication is that there are multiple pathways into confidence: performing, making, building, serving, or leading.

There is also a deliberate “pupils build it” element from Year 3 upwards, with children encouraged to create lunchtime clubs through a “Clubs for children by Children” model. If your child likes initiating ideas rather than simply joining what is offered, that approach can be energising.

The school day is clearly set out. Gates open at 8:30am, morning prayer is at 8:55am, and lessons begin at 9:00am. Dismissal is at 3:05pm for early years and Key Stage 1, and 3:15pm for Key Stage 2.

Breakfast club and after school club are offered. Timings and booking arrangements are not set out in the inspection text, so families should confirm details directly with the school.

For transport, Bexleyheath is served by rail and bus links into central London and across south east London. Bexleyheath railway station is the local station for the town, with regular services into London terminals. For most families, the practical question is less about a single “nearest” route and more about drop off and pick up reliability during peak traffic.

• Admission competition. With 123 applications for 56 offers on the primary entry route in the latest available data, the odds are tight. Families should shortlist realistic alternatives alongside this choice.

• Catholic priority is meaningful. The school’s Catholic ethos is central to daily life, and admissions materials reference a Certificate of Catholic Practice. Families who are not connected to parish life should read the oversubscription criteria carefully and be realistic about priority categories.

• High attainment can bring pressure. Outcomes at Key Stage 2 are exceptionally high, including 43% at the higher standard in 2024. For many pupils this is motivating; for some it can feel intense, particularly if a child needs more time to consolidate.

• Structured routines suit most, but not all. The culture is built on high expectations, strong behaviour norms, and clear learning sequences. Children who prefer looser, more informal environments may take time to adapt.

A high performing Catholic primary with a disciplined academic core and a lot of “earned responsibility” for pupils. The results place it among the highest performing in England, while the faith life, leadership roles, and service activities give it a distinctive purpose beyond tests. Best suited to families who actively want a Catholic environment, value structured expectations, and are prepared to manage a competitive admissions process.