Christ The King Catholic Primary School, Birmingham Review 2026: High-achieving Catholic primary with a strong early years offer

At drop-off, the day starts with clear routines and a sense of order, which matters when a school serves both a nursery and a full primary intake. Founded in 1936, this voluntary aided Catholic primary has long been part of the Kingstanding story, with pupils and families closely tied to parish life next door.

Academically, outcomes are a clear strength. The school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England on the FindMySchool rankings, and it performs strongly across reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Admissions are competitive for Reception, and early years matters here because the nursery acts as a natural gateway into school life (even though it does not guarantee a Reception place).

A defining feature is the way Catholic life is woven into the week in practical, visible ways rather than remaining a backdrop. Being next to the parish church means pupils attend Mass weekly, and the school highlights half-termly School Parish Masses led by children, plus annual celebrations around the feast of Christ the King. The website also describes traditions such as a May Procession linked to First Holy Communion, with pupils participating as part of parish worship.

The pastoral tone is similarly deliberate. Pupils are given formal leadership channels, including a School Parliament where elected representatives gather pupil voice, take minutes, and vote on actions. That level of structure helps children practise responsibility early, and it gives quieter pupils a legitimate route to influence school decisions without needing to be the loudest in the room.

Leadership information is worth reading carefully because it appears to be in transition. The school’s website currently names Rachel Clayton as Acting Head Teacher. At the time of the January 2025 inspection documentation, Maria Breslin was listed as headteacher.

What matters for families is continuity in expectations, and the evidence base for that is strong: staff roles include wellbeing leadership, and systems for behaviour and learning routines are described as consistent.

Nursery provision, integrated rather than bolted on

Early years is a central part of the school’s identity. The nursery is described as a 52 part-time place setting, with 26 children attending either morning or afternoon sessions across the week. The nursery pages emphasise independence, communication, and learning through play, including free flow between indoor and outdoor areas.

That matters because it sets the tone for the whole school: confident talk, self-help skills, and steady routines before formal Key Stage 1 demands begin.

The headline at Key Stage 2 is the combined reading, writing and mathematics figure. In the most recent published data 89% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 27.33% reached greater depth, compared with the England average of 8%.

Reading and mathematics scaled scores are also strong: 108 in reading and 107 in maths, with grammar, punctuation and spelling at 108. Science is also above England average, with 85% reaching the expected standard compared with an England average of 82%.

Rankings add context. The school is ranked 2,236th in England and 39th in Birmingham for primary outcomes in the FindMySchool rankings, which are proprietary rankings based on official data. This places the school comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

What that means in practice is not just “good results”, but a school where the average child is leaving Year 6 with secure foundations, and where a meaningful minority are working well beyond minimum expectations. For families, that usually translates into smoother transition to secondary, particularly in English and maths-heavy curricula.

Curriculum thinking appears carefully sequenced, with an emphasis on building knowledge and vocabulary in steps from early years through to Year 6. Teachers are described as presenting new information clearly and checking learning regularly, with established classroom routines that help pupils settle quickly and keep lesson time focused.

Reading is treated as a priority. The inspection narrative highlights a structured approach where pupils practise sounds using matched books, staff check progression through the programme, and pupils who fall behind receive targeted help to catch up quickly.

For parents, this is one of the most important indicators at primary level. A consistent reading spine tends to lift outcomes across the curriculum, not only in English but also in science, history and religious education where comprehension drives success.

Early years provision is a slightly different picture. Children get off to a strong start, but some independent activities are not always framed tightly enough around the specific skill the school wants children to gain, which can reduce the learning value of those moments.

This is not unusual in busy early years settings, but it is relevant if you have a child who benefits from very explicit adult guidance during free-choice time.

For a Birmingham primary, the practical question is usually the range of local secondaries, including faith and non-faith options, and how well Year 6 prepares pupils for that shift. The most recent inspection narrative states that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next stages of education.

The school’s Year 6 materials also reference enrichment and transition activity with Cardinal Wiseman Secondary School, which will be a familiar pathway for many Catholic families locally.

Beyond that, Birmingham families will want to check their own home-to-school circumstances and the local authority’s admissions guidance, because secondary allocation depends heavily on the specific school and criteria you apply to.

Reception entry demand is high. provided, there were 137 applications for 45 offers, which equates to 3.04 applications per place, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed.

This is a voluntary aided Catholic school, so families should expect admissions to involve school-specific arrangements alongside the Birmingham coordinated process, particularly where faith evidence is relevant. The most important practical step is to read the determined admissions arrangements for the relevant year and make sure every required document is submitted correctly and on time.

Key dates for September 2026 entry

For Birmingham primary admissions, applications for September 2026 opened on 01 October 2025 and the statutory closing date was 15 January 2026. National offer day for primary places is 16 April 2026.

If you missed the deadline, Birmingham provides a late application route, but outcomes are typically less predictable because the main round allocations happen first.

For families trying to judge feasibility, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for sense-checking likely travel time and comparing local options side-by-side, especially when you are weighing several faith and community schools within the same area.

The school places explicit weight on wellbeing, and staff leadership includes a mental health and wellbeing lead.

Pupils are also taught practical strategies for self-regulation, including calm-down approaches and resilience language, and the inspection narrative describes a culture where pupils feel safe making mistakes and learning from them.

The strongest reassurance for parents is safeguarding. The January 2025 Ofsted inspection states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

SEND processes are also described in practical detail, including the use of visual supports such as Widgit and transition planning that includes pupil voice and coordinated handover when children move to secondary or other settings.

This school does better than many primaries at naming and structuring enrichment, rather than relying on generic claims.

Leadership and pupil voice

School Parliament is a standout. Pupils act as MPs, hold defined roles (chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary), and use democratic voting to agree actions. The implication is simple: children learn that leadership is a job, not a badge, and that governance includes listening and follow-through.

Sport with external partnerships

Sport is supported through external links and internal leadership. The Aston Villa Foundation work described by the school includes a coach working weekly across classes, a reading programme for Year 5 and 6 boys, wellbeing work with groups of pupils, and a Key Stage 2 girls football club after school.

Alongside that, Sports’ Crew roles give Year 5 and 6 pupils responsibility for organising intra-school competitions and gathering pupil feedback on sport provision. The school links this to its School Games Mark history.

Music and performance

Choir is clearly embedded in Catholic life. The school choir (Year 3 to Year 6) practises on Fridays after school and sings in school Masses and church services, plus community visits such as local care settings and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Seasonal productions add a second performance strand, giving pupils who are not choir-focused a public platform through drama and whole-school events.

Practical life skills and wider horizons

Pudding and Pie is a named cooking and food education programme, described as age-appropriate and adaptable for dietary requirements tied to health or religious needs.

Into University is another named partnership, focused on aspiration-building and skills workshops, including access to a local learning centre.

The inspection narrative also points to a broad programme of visits, visitors and experiences, including residential trips and cultural days out, which is often the difference between a school that teaches well and a school that expands horizons.

The published timings show an early start, with gates opening at 8.30am and lessons beginning at 8.40am. Nursery runs 8.30am to 11.20am (morning) and 12.15pm to 3.00pm (afternoon). Reception and Key Stage 1 operate on slightly different session times, and Key Stage 2 runs through to a 3.00pm finish.

Wraparound care is unusually clear and specific. The before-school session runs 7.30am to 8.30am at £5, and the after-school session runs 3.00pm to 6.00pm at £9, with provision described as established since 1997.

This is meaningful for working families because it reduces uncertainty, but places are typically limited and operated on a first-come basis.

On transport, most families will treat this as a local school with walking, short drives, or bus routes depending on where you live in Kingstanding, and parish proximity is a practical plus for families already involved in church life. (Specific public transport routes are not published in the sources reviewed.)

• Early years judgement. While most inspection grades are at the top level, early years provision was graded Good in January 2025. For some children, especially those who need very explicit adult framing during independent play, families may want to ask how nursery and Reception learning intentions are made clear day to day.

• Competition for Reception places. With 137 applications for 45 offers entry pressure is real. Families should treat application accuracy and deadlines as non-negotiable.

• Leadership transition signals. The website names an Acting Head Teacher, which can be a normal, well-managed phase, but it is still sensible to ask how leadership responsibilities are distributed and how curriculum oversight is maintained across year groups.

• Different session structures by phase. Timings vary across nursery, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2. That can affect siblings and childcare logistics, so it is worth mapping out what your family’s morning and afternoon will look like in practice.

This is a high-performing Catholic primary with strong habits of learning and clear structures around pupil leadership, music, and sport. It suits families who value a faith-shaped school week, want above-average academic outcomes at Year 6, and appreciate defined wraparound care. The main constraint is admission, competition for places is the limiting factor.