St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Low Fell Review 2026: High-performing Catholic primary with strong community roots

This is a Catholic primary where academic outcomes and school culture pull in the same direction. Results place it well above the England picture, and locally it sits at the very top of the Gateshead rankings in the FindMySchool league table based on official data. That mix, strong outcomes plus a clearly articulated Catholic mission, helps explain why Reception entry is oversubscribed.

Leadership has recently stabilised after a period of change, with Mrs P. McArthur appointed to her permanent headteacher role in March 2024. A February 2025 inspection confirmed that standards have been maintained, with safeguarding judged effective.

The school’s Catholic identity is explicit, in language, routines, and the way relationships are framed. The stated priorities emphasise a calm and safe setting, Gospel values such as love, trust, forgiveness, respect and grace, and a partnership with families and the parish. In practice, that shows up in the way pupil voice is structured (school council and sports council are referenced as routes for pupils to contribute) and in the expectation that pupils play an active role in the life of the community.

There is also a strong service thread. The September 2024 Section 48 inspection describes extensive opportunities for pupils to live out the mission and highlights roles such as mindfulness ambassadors alongside faith and charity activity. It also references practical community-facing projects, including collections for Joe’s Place and participation in Mary’s Meals initiatives.

Local context matters. Low Fell has a long Catholic parish history, and the parish’s development includes a Mass centre on Dryden Road in 1932, later linked to the site’s educational use. That does not make the school “founded in 1932”, but it helps explain why the school’s parish and place-based identity feels coherent rather than bolted on.

The headline Key Stage 2 figure is 82% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average is 62%, so the school is performing well above the national picture. At the higher standard, 39% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%, an unusually wide gap that points to a sizeable cohort working at depth rather than merely meeting the benchmark.

Scaled scores reinforce that story. Reading is 109, mathematics is 110, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 112. High-score proportions are also notable, including 58% reaching a high score in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 48% in mathematics.

Rankings add context. The school is ranked 408th in England and 1st in Gateshead for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That position places it well above England average, in effect outperforming roughly 97% of primaries in England (top 3% on the FindMySchool percentile). Parents comparing options across the area can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these outcomes side by side.

The curriculum positioning is conventional and clear. The school states that it meets National Curriculum requirements and the expectations for Catholic schools set by the Bishops of England and Wales, and it frames schemes of work around progression through key stages.

The most persuasive evidence of how this feels day to day comes from the 2025 inspection narrative, which points to confident staff implementing well-developed curriculums, with effective professional development behind that consistency. It also flags one specific improvement priority, adaptations to curriculum delivery for a small number of pupils who struggle to demonstrate learning through written work, a useful detail for families whose children have uneven writing stamina.

Religious education is treated as a core discipline, not a bolt-on. The September 2024 Section 48 report records that religious education constitutes 10% of the taught week and that the school is fully compliant with diocesan and bishops’ conference norms.

As a primary, the main transition is to Year 7. The school’s Catholic character often means families consider Catholic secondary routes, alongside local comprehensive options, depending on home location and admissions criteria. For Gateshead families, secondary applications are coordinated through the local authority, with an annual autumn deadline for on-time applications (the September 2026 cycle closed on 31 October 2025).

A practical takeaway for parents of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils is to treat secondary planning as a Year 5 task rather than a Year 6 scramble. Start by mapping realistic travel patterns, then shortlist schools whose ethos and pastoral approach match your child, and only then worry about open evenings and application mechanics.

Reception entry is competitive. In the most recent admissions dataset provided, there were 88 applications for 30 offers, a ratio of 2.93 applications per place, with an oversubscribed status. That translates into a setting where criteria matter, and where families should read the published admissions arrangements carefully rather than assuming proximity alone will do the work.

As a Catholic school, the published admissions policy frames the school’s purpose as serving Catholic families first when applications exceed places, while confirming that families of other faiths or none can still apply. It also references parish alignment as part of how priority is structured when oversubscribed.

The school website set out a specific timetable for September 2026 Reception admissions: the online system opened on 8 September 2025; the closing date was 15 January 2026; outcome letters and emails were due on 16 April 2026; and waiting list allocations were noted from 22 May 2026. Those dates are now in the past, but the pattern is still useful for timing expectations in future cycles.

Open events are usually a strong signal of how transparent a school is with prospective families. For September 2026 entry the school scheduled sessions across late September, November, and early December, with booking handled by the school office. If you are looking at later entry years, expect a similar autumn window and check the school’s admissions page for the current schedule.

The pastoral framing leans heavily on belonging, and both the school’s own statements and external reports link that to high expectations for conduct. The September 2024 Section 48 report describes exemplary behaviour and respect, and it highlights practical structures such as pastoral groups that bring siblings together weekly.

Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For families, a key question is how a school supports pupils who are thriving academically but feel anxious, or pupils who are warm and sociable but find written recording hard work. The inspection evidence suggests the school knows this tension exists, particularly around written demonstration of learning for a small number of pupils, and that it is an area leaders are expected to keep improving.

Extracurricular life is more detailed here than many primaries, because the school publishes termly club menus and costs. That provides a realistic picture of what pupils can do after 3:30pm, and how provision is structured by key stage.

Examples include Karate, Art Club, Science Club, Little Kickers, Football, Ballet, Chess Club, Dance Club, and Coding Club, with some clubs run by external specialists and others by staff. A Spring 2025 schedule shows, for example, £24 options for several clubs, and £30 for Karate and Dance Club, with places capped and some clubs filling up.

There is also a clear performing and service element. St Peter’s Choir is referenced in school communications around community performances and fundraising, and Cafod Club appears as a named route for pupils to connect faith with action.

Sport is supported through external coaching links too. The school references Grassroots Sports for after-school provision and coaching, and Year 4 swimming is explicitly scheduled as part of the PE pattern.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Day-to-day costs are more likely to come from uniform, trips, wraparound care, and optional clubs.

The school day is published as 09:00 to 15:30, with a soft opening from 08:45.

Wraparound care runs in term time only, with morning provision from 07:45 to 08:45 and after-school provision from 15:30 to 17:30. Charges are published as £4 for a one-hour session and £8 for the 15:30 to 17:30 slot, with booking and payment managed via an online system.

For travel, Low Fell is well served by local bus routes along Durham Road, and many families will find walking and short-drop options realistic depending on where they live. If you are moving house to target this school, use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check practical journey time as well as your straight-line distance.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 88 applications for 30 offers in the latest dataset, competition is the limiting factor for many families. Have a realistic Plan B list and treat open sessions as due diligence, not as a guarantee.

• Faith expectations are real. The Catholic character runs through worship, religious education, and the school’s service culture. Families who want a lighter-touch faith experience should read the admissions policy and reflect honestly on fit.

• After-school costs add up. Clubs and wraparound care are well organised, but they are paid extras. A typical week of wraparound plus clubs can become a meaningful monthly cost, even without school fees.

• Written-output adaptations. External review evidence flags that a small number of pupils can struggle to demonstrate learning through written work consistently. If your child has dysgraphia, SEND, or low writing stamina, ask specifically how support is delivered in class and across subjects.

Strong outcomes, a highly defined Catholic ethos, and unusually transparent information about clubs and wraparound combine to create a school that feels both ambitious and organised. It suits families who want a faith-grounded primary experience with high academic expectations and a busy after-school menu. Securing a place is where the difficulty lies, so shortlisting needs to be both hopeful and practical.