St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, Horsham Review 2026: High-attaining Catholic primary in Roffey

A calm, purposeful Catholic primary with outcomes that put it well above England averages at key stage 2. In the most recent published results, almost nine in ten pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and a third reached the higher standard, far above the England benchmark. The school is small enough to feel personal, but large enough to offer structured enrichment, including clubs like Choir, Coding Club, Kids with Bricks, Irish Dancing and Karate.

Leadership is current and clearly in motion. Miss Helen Connor is the headteacher, and was inducted as headteacher in September 2024. The school also joined the Bosco Catholic Education Trust on 01 May 2024, which is a useful context point for parents tracking governance and longer-term strategic direction.

This is a school that foregrounds kindness, service, and steady routines. The most recent inspection describes a calm and orderly environment where pupils behave well, feel safe, and care for one another. That tone matters for families choosing a small primary. When behaviour is consistent, classrooms can run at pace without needing constant correction, and pupils tend to become more independent earlier.

Catholic life is not an add-on. The school sets out a Christ-centred mission and a clear framework of values that are used as everyday reference points rather than occasional slogans. Its published motto is: Giving Ourselves to God through… Living, Loving and Learning. For Catholic families, that clarity can be reassuring. For families who are not Catholic, it is worth recognising that faith is designed to permeate the school day, including worship, liturgy, and service.

Pupil voice appears to be taken seriously. The inspection notes that the school council helped establish a sensory bus used by pupils at break time, which signals a practical approach to inclusion and regulation, not just policy language. In the same vein, pupils are described as proud of a gardening club and a reflection garden, which hints at a culture that values responsibility and care for shared spaces.

The published figures suggest a high-performing key stage 2 profile.

In the most recent published results, 89.7% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 33.3% reached the higher threshold, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling all show average scaled scores of 109.

On the FindMySchool outcomes ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 994th in England and 3rd in Horsham for primary outcomes. This places it well above England average overall (top 10% in England). Parents comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to review these outcomes side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, rather than relying on anecdotes.

What does that mean in practical terms. It suggests the typical pupil is leaving Year 6 with secure core skills, and a large minority are reaching the higher standard. That combination tends to suit children who enjoy structured learning, and it can be a strong foundation for academically demanding secondaries.

The strongest evidence points to well-sequenced core learning, with reading and mathematics treated as priority areas. The latest inspection describes reading as highly prioritised, with phonics beginning as soon as pupils start Reception, and staff trained to teach the chosen phonics programme consistently. For parents, that usually translates into fewer children slipping through the net in early literacy, and quicker identification of pupils who need targeted practice.

Mathematics is also described as a confident area, including challenge for the most able in upper key stage 2 and effective deployment of skilled teaching assistants to support pupils at risk of falling behind. That matters because the headline percentage outcomes only tell part of the story. The mechanism behind strong outcomes is often the day-to-day diagnostic work, teachers using questioning and checks to spot gaps early, then closing them before topics build on insecure foundations.

A useful reality check is that even strong schools have development areas. The inspection highlights that in some foundation subjects, teachers are not always precise enough about the knowledge pupils should retain, and sometimes move on without checking secure understanding. It also notes that writing across the wider curriculum can be weaker than in English, with opportunities to practise and extend writing sometimes limited. Parents with children who love humanities and creative writing should ask how the school is strengthening extended writing in topics like geography and history.

As a primary, the key question is transition. In West Sussex, secondary transfer is typically through the local authority process, with places allocated via each secondary’s admissions arrangements. Families in Horsham often consider a mix of local comprehensive schools, and for some pupils, selective routes outside the immediate area.

What this school can do well, given its strong key stage 2 outcomes, is send pupils on with secure literacy and numeracy, and the confidence to manage a step up in workload. Parents who are unsure which secondaries are realistically in reach should combine two checks: first, read each secondary’s oversubscription criteria; second, use FindMySchool Map Search to check practical travel distance and typical patterns of allocation.

If you are aiming for a Catholic secondary, check faith-specific admissions criteria early, as supplementary forms and parish evidence requirements can be time-sensitive.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The pressure point is not cost, it is availability.

The published admissions number for Reception entry is 30 pupils for the year starting September 2026. Demand indicators show the school is oversubscribed, with 48 applications and 27 offers in the most recent dataset, which is around 1.78 applications for every offer. That is competitive for a one-form-entry primary.

West Sussex County Council’s starting school timetable for September 2026 entry sets out these key dates: online applications opened at 9am on Monday 06 October 2025, the national deadline was Thursday 15 January 2026, and families are notified on 16 April 2026. The school’s own admissions information mirrors the January deadline for the 2026 round.

Because this is a Catholic school, faith-based criteria can matter. The determined admissions policy sets out oversubscription priorities that include Catholic looked-after children, Catholic siblings, parish connection, and evidence requirements such as baptismal documentation, plus priest signature and parish stamp where applicable. The West Sussex guidance also makes clear that where denominational priority is sought, a Supplementary Information Form is typically returned direct to the school by the same national deadline.

The strongest signals here are around safety, inclusion, and personal development. The most recent inspection rated personal development as Outstanding and confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective. Pupils are described as feeling safe and supported, with staff who treat safeguarding as core work, not paperwork, including regular training and tenacious follow-up of concerns.

Beyond safeguarding, the school appears to invest in structures that help pupils regulate and thrive. The sensory bus mentioned in the inspection is an example of a practical, child-facing intervention, and it matters for both pupils with additional needs and pupils who simply need calmer spaces at points in the day.

For families with SEND questions, ask how support is delivered day-to-day, which interventions are used, and how progress is tracked. The inspection explicitly notes ambition for pupils with SEND within the wider curriculum design, which is a helpful starting point for those conversations.

Enrichment is more than a generic club list here. The school publishes a structured timetable of clubs, with a mix of sport, creative options, and practical, hands-on activities.

Examples include Coding Club, Art Club, Choir, Hockey, Netball, Kids with Bricks, Construction Club, Book Club, Irish Dancing, Karate, and a girls’ football option. Most clubs run after school from around 3.05pm, with year-group targeting that gives younger pupils access as well as older ones.

The detail matters. Coding Club and Kids with Bricks speak to building logical thinking and problem-solving early. Choir gives a regular team discipline that benefits confidence and memory, not only performance. Irish Dancing and Karate broaden the sports offer beyond the usual football-only model, which can suit pupils who want structured movement without team selection pressures.

The inspection also points to pupils valuing sport, drama, art, and a gardening club, with pride taken in caring for a reflection garden. That kind of ownership tends to strengthen belonging, especially in smaller schools where pupils quickly learn they can shape their environment.

Wraparound care is clearly signposted. The school runs Bright Start Breakfast Club, open 7.30am to 8.40am, with breakfast and activities, and after-school care is provided via a partner childcare provider.

Term dates are published for the current academic year. For 2025 to 2026, the summer term runs from Tuesday 14 April 2026 to Friday 17 July 2026, with half term from Monday 25 May 2026.

For travel, most families will be doing local drop-off and pick-up within Roffey and the wider Horsham area. If you are new to the area, it is worth running a route test at peak times and asking the school what parking and walking expectations look like on a typical morning.

• Competition for places. Demand is higher than supply, with around 1.78 applications per offer in the latest dataset. Families should treat entry as competitive and put realistic backup preferences on the local authority application.

• Catholic admissions criteria. Faith-based evidence, supplementary forms, and parish-related criteria can be central to allocation when the school is oversubscribed. This suits families who actively want a Catholic setting; others should read the policy carefully before relying on a place.

• Writing across the wider curriculum. The latest inspection highlights that writing in some subjects can be briefer and less well presented than in English, and that opportunities to practise extended writing outside English are sometimes limited. Ask how this is being strengthened, especially if your child loves humanities.

• Curriculum precision in some foundation subjects. The inspection also notes that in some subjects, teachers are not always clear enough on the key knowledge pupils should retain, and checks for secure understanding are not always consistent. Parents can probe how subject leadership is sharpening sequencing and assessment beyond the core.

Strong key stage 2 outcomes, a settled culture, and a clearly articulated Catholic identity make this a compelling option for families in the Horsham area who want faith-informed education alongside high academic expectations. It suits pupils who respond well to calm structure, consistent behaviour standards, and a community with explicit values. The limiting factor is admission, not educational quality, so families should approach applications with a clear plan and realistic alternatives.