St. Walburga's Catholic Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining Catholic primary with strong character education

For families seeking a faith-led primary in Bournemouth, this school stands out for two reasons: results, and a well-defined sense of service. Key Stage 2 outcomes place it well above England averages, with a particularly high proportion reaching the expected standard across reading, writing and mathematics. That academic strength is matched by a pupil leadership culture that runs through daily routines, from older pupils supporting younger ones at lunchtime to structured roles that build responsibility.

The latest Ofsted inspection in January 2025 confirmed the school has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

With Reception as the main entry point and an admission number of 60 for September 2026 entry, competition is real, and faith criteria shape prioritisation when the school is oversubscribed.

The Catholic identity is not presented as an optional extra. The school is explicit that the teaching and practice of the Catholic faith sits at the heart of school life, and it describes prayer and liturgy as a core rhythm of the day, not a bolt-on activity. Staff also signpost parents’ right to withdraw their child from religious education or worship, which is important for families weighing how closely school and home practice align.

A helpful detail for prospective parents is that the school’s values have been shaped with pupils and staff rather than imposed solely top-down. The website sets out a set of learning values explored across the year, for example Respectful, Collaborative, Honest, Brave, Compassionate, and Independent. The point is not the labels themselves but the way they are used as shared language for behaviour and expectations, which often matters more to daily culture than any single initiative.

Leadership opportunities are clearly structured. The Ofsted report describes roles such as bistro buddies and subject and wellbeing ambassadors as part of a wider programme that develops responsibility, teamwork, and initiative. That aligns closely with what parents tend to notice in high-functioning primaries: pupils who can organise themselves, speak confidently with adults, and show everyday consideration for younger children.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are exceptionally strong. In 2024, 95% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 49% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores were 109 and 111 respectively, indicating attainment comfortably above the national benchmark.

Rankings tell a similar story. Ranked 323rd in England and 1st in Bournemouth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits well above England average (top 10%), and close to the top 2% threshold.

The implication for families is straightforward. Pupils are leaving Year 6 with strong core knowledge, which tends to make the transition into secondary school smoother, particularly where secondary expectations ramp up quickly in reading comprehension, extended writing, and mathematical reasoning.

The curriculum appears intentionally sequenced, with specific examples of progression across year groups. Ofsted highlights how teaching builds year on year, giving French as a concrete illustration: Year 3 pupils start with core foundations such as greetings and numbers, while older pupils move into longer sentences and simple verb conjugations. This sort of step-by-step structure is often a marker of a school that has clarity about what “good learning” looks like over time, rather than focusing only on end-of-year outputs.

Reading is treated as a priority, with a consistent phonics approach and an emphasis on developing vocabulary, including technical subject language. The improvement point is also worth understanding in practical terms: the inspection flags that, in Key Stage 1, some approaches do not consistently secure foundational knowledge, and misconceptions are not always addressed quickly enough. For parents, that translates into a sensible question to ask: how is phonics practice organised in Years 1 and 2, and what does catch-up look like if a child needs additional repetition or targeted support.

Mathematics teaching is described as increasingly focused on fluency, with early confidence-building in Reception and ongoing work to strengthen reasoning across the school. Combined with the published scaled score outcomes, the implication is that pupils are not only learning methods but also developing the confidence to explain and apply them.

As a primary school, the key destination question is secondary transfer. The school’s communications to families include information about local secondary open evenings, including St Peter’s Catholic School, which is a practical indicator of the pathways many Catholic families will be considering.

Transition is also treated as a process rather than a single event. School communications reference support for parent understanding of early-stage transitions, which typically signals a school that takes handovers seriously and expects consistent home-school partnership.

For parents, the most useful approach is to ask directly, during a tour or meeting, which secondary destinations are most common in a typical year, and how the school supports children who feel anxious about larger settings or new routines. This matters as much for confident high attainers as it does for quieter children who need extra reassurance.

Reception entry is the main admissions route, and the school’s own data shows strong demand. Recent Reception figures show 200 applications for 59 offers, which equates to around 3.39 applications per place. First-preference pressure is also meaningful, with 1.56 first-preference applications per first-preference offer. The implication is that families should treat admission as competitive rather than routine.

This is a voluntary aided Catholic school and it is explicit about the role of faith in its admissions arrangements when oversubscribed. For September 2026 entry, the admission number is 60. Where applications exceed places, priority is set out in a clear order: Catholic looked after and previously looked after children, Catholic children, other looked after and previously looked after children, then children of other Christian denominations, then children of other faiths, followed by any other children. Sibling priority operates within categories, and the tie-break is distance, measured as the shortest straight-line distance to the school entrance using the local authority’s measurement system, with random allocation used if distances are identical for the final place.

For families applying under faith criteria, the school strongly requests completion of a Supplementary Information Form by the same closing date as the local authority application, and it is clear that missing paperwork can affect the category a child is placed into.

For September 2026 entry in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, applications opened on 01 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026. Offer notifications are due on 16 April 2026 for on-time applicants, with later timelines for late applications.

Parents thinking strategically should use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand their likely straight-line distance position relative to other applicants, then combine that with the faith criteria relevant to their family. Distance is only a tie-break within categories, so understanding both aspects is essential.

Pastoral support appears closely linked to the school’s wider character programme. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility, to lead, and to think about service, which often has a stabilising effect on behaviour and relationships in a busy primary setting. The inspection also describes strong work around online safety, healthy relationships, and anti-discrimination, which are the day-to-day safeguarding-adjacent topics parents increasingly want addressed in an age-appropriate way.

Attendance is described as strong overall, with systems to respond quickly where patterns start to dip, alongside support for families who need it. For parents, that signals that the school is likely to be proactive about routines and consistent expectations, which usually helps children feel secure.

Safeguarding is reported as effective, which is a baseline requirement but still important to state plainly in a school review.

The school has made pupil roles a central strand of its wider experience. Bistro Buddies is a concrete example: older pupils help younger children in the hall at lunchtime, including practical support such as helping them manage their food. It is framed explicitly as service rooted in Catholic mission, which is a good illustration of how faith and daily routines connect here, rather than sitting in separate boxes.

Outdoor learning is another visible theme. The school promotes Forest School as part of its offer, and this typically appeals to parents who want their children learning problem-solving and resilience through structured outdoor activity alongside classroom learning.

Enrichment also runs through clubs. The school publishes a programme that includes activities such as yoga for younger pupils, Lego Club, French Club, tennis, dodgeball, and art provision. The practical implication is that children who thrive when they have a “thing” outside core lessons, whether sport, languages, movement, or making, are likely to find a good match in the club timetable.

Civic and charitable engagement features in pupil leadership too. The School Council page references community-facing activity such as sorting donations for a foodbank and fundraising events, which helps make “service” more tangible for children.

The published school day provides clear structure. Playground gates open at 8.25am, morning registration is at 8.40am, and the school day ends at 2.50pm. Lunchtime timing differs slightly for Foundation Stage compared with Key Stages 1 and 2.

Wraparound care is available through a before and after school club run by the school. Published hours are 7.30am to 8.30am and 2.50pm to 5.45pm during term time.

For travel planning, the most reliable approach is to model your route at peak times and confirm drop-off expectations directly with the school. In an oversubscribed context, being confident about daily logistics matters as much as being confident about admissions paperwork.

• Oversubscription is the norm. Recent Reception figures show 200 applications for 59 offers, around 3.39 applications per place. Families should approach this as a competitive application rather than assuming proximity alone will be enough.

• Faith criteria shape priority. If you are applying under Catholic or other faith criteria, you need to be comfortable with Catholic life being integrated throughout the school day, and you need to be organised about supporting evidence and the Supplementary Information Form deadlines.

• Key Stage 1 consistency is a stated improvement point. The latest inspection identifies that some Key Stage 1 teaching does not consistently secure practice of foundational knowledge and address misconceptions quickly. For some children this will not be an issue; for others it is worth asking detailed questions about phonics practice, intervention, and how gaps are identified early.

• Expect an active calendar. Masses, liturgies, pupil leadership roles, clubs, and community-facing activity create a rich timetable. That suits many families; those wanting the smallest possible footprint beyond core lessons may prefer a quieter rhythm.

This is a high-performing Catholic primary with clear routines, explicit expectations, and a strong service culture. Academic results are comfortably above England averages, and the wider programme, from pupil leadership to Forest School and structured clubs, gives many children space to develop confidence as well as competence. Best suited to families who actively want a Catholic ethos woven into daily school life, and who can manage the practical realities of an oversubscribed Reception entry process.