Rawdon St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Review 2026: A high-performing, values-led Leeds primary with a strong KS2 profile

Rawdon St Peter’s is a Church of England primary in Rawdon, on the north western side of Leeds, with an intake from Reception to Year 6. It is a relatively large primary for the village setting, with capacity listed at 315 and mixed year groups used in parts of the school organisation. Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are a clear strength. In 2024, 85% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. Reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) scaled scores are also comfortably above England norms.

Entry is competitive. For Reception entry, 118 applications were recorded for 45 offers in the most recent demand snapshot, so families should treat admission as uncertain unless they meet higher priority criteria. The school’s Christian values are prominent in its public messaging, and governance and safeguarding are treated seriously in official reporting.

A sense of continuity runs through the school’s identity. The website positions the school as the “Old Town School”, founded in 1710 by Thomas Layton, and it emphasises long standing links with St Peter’s Church and a Christian ethos. That heritage is used as a backdrop rather than a marketing pitch, with day to day language focusing on values such as thankfulness, honesty, fairness, endurance, love and friendship, and respect.

Leadership is clearly signposted. The headteacher is Miss Lynette Clapham, and she is also named as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, which matters to parents who want clarity on who holds responsibility for safeguarding culture and referrals. On staffing information, leadership roles are broken down by phase and subject responsibility, which usually reflects a school that is trying to keep curriculum leadership tight even in a primary setting.

The latest Ofsted inspection, carried out on 4 and 5 October 2023, confirmed the school continues to be Good, and it states that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

That combination, clear leadership structures plus external confirmation on safeguarding, typically translates into routines that feel predictable for pupils and manageable for parents, especially at transition points such as Reception start and the move into Key Stage 2.

For a state primary, Rawdon St Peter’s results place it securely above England averages, and the pattern is consistent across the core measures parents care about most.

Key Stage 2 expected standard (combined)

In 2024, 85% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average in the same measure is 62%. That gap is meaningful. It suggests that the majority of pupils leave Year 6 ready for mainstream secondary curricula without needing catch-up in core literacy and numeracy.

Higher standard

At the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, 25% achieved this threshold in 2024, compared with an England average of 8%. For families with high attaining children, this is often the more informative statistic than the expected standard alone, because it indicates how well the school stretches pupils beyond the basics.

Scaled scores

Average scaled scores in 2024 were 109 for reading, 106 for maths, and 108 for GPS. Scaled scores are designed so that 100 is broadly the national reference point, so results in the high 100s typically indicate secure performance across the cohort rather than strength in a narrow subgroup.

FindMySchool ranking context

Ranked 2,383rd in England and 32nd in Leeds for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the school sits above England average and places within the top 25% of primaries in England. This matters for parents comparing several “good local schools” where the differences can otherwise feel intangible. A practical approach is to use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to benchmark nearby primaries on the same measures, rather than relying on hearsay.

The most useful way to interpret Rawdon St Peter’s academic profile is through what it implies about teaching practice. High expected-standard percentages plus strong scaled scores often correlate with consistent teaching routines, careful sequencing, and a well-managed approach to reading and maths in particular.

The October 2023 inspection report notes deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. That choice of focus is telling. Early reading is where primary schools either build long term advantage or end up firefighting later, and maths sequencing is often the difference between pupils who are merely competent and pupils who are confident problem solvers.

There is also a clear improvement agenda. The same inspection report identifies two priority areas: ensuring that SEND support plans set out the small next steps clearly enough to track progress accurately, and ensuring the curriculum is embedded consistently across all subjects. These are not unusual development points for a successful primary. They are the kind of “make it consistent everywhere” actions that matter once a school has already secured strong headline outcomes.

As a primary, the key “destination” question is transition into secondary school rather than university pathways. What parents usually want to know is whether the school prepares children for that move academically and emotionally, and how it handles pupils who find change harder.

The school explicitly frames transition as part of pastoral work. Its learning mentor role description highlights support for transition to secondary school as well as movement between classes and key stages. That focus tends to show up in practical steps, additional visits for pupils who need them, and liaison with receiving schools when pupils have SEND or vulnerabilities that require structured handover.

Specific feeder secondary schools are not clearly published in the sources reviewed, and in Leeds the secondary destination can depend heavily on the family’s address and the coordinated admissions process. A sensible parent strategy is to shortlist likely secondaries early, check distance and priority rules via Leeds admissions information, and then treat the primary as one part of a wider plan rather than assuming a single “default” secondary.

Admission is coordinated through Leeds City Council, and Rawdon St Peter’s published admission number for Reception is 45. For September 2026 entry, the school’s published timetable sets out a clear sequence: applications open on 1 November 2025; the national closing date is 15 January 2026; changes treated as on time for the school close on 12 February 2026; and national offer day is 16 April 2026, with acceptance deadlines and appeals dates following.

Demand indicators suggest competition. In the most recent admissions snapshot, there were 118 applications for 45 offers, which equates to 2.62 applications per place. The proportion of first preference offers to first preferences is recorded as 1, a sign that first preference demand is not the only pressure point families should consider. The headline implication is simple: this is not a school where families should assume an offer without checking priority criteria and realistic distance likelihoods.

Parents looking at a move should treat “catchment” claims cautiously unless they come from the local authority or the school’s formal admissions arrangements. A practical step is to use FindMySchoolMap Search to check your precise distance context, then cross-reference that with the local authority’s admissions guidance for the relevant year of entry.

Pastoral support looks structured rather than improvised. The school identifies a Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputy safeguarding leads, and it publishes routes for raising concerns. For parents, that clarity can reduce anxiety, because it tells you who is accountable and how issues are handled.

The 2023 inspection report references a well-developed personal development curriculum and notes that pupils benefit from experiences beyond the purely academic. It also highlights leaders being mindful of staff workload and wellbeing, which is relevant because staff wellbeing is often a leading indicator of stability in classrooms, continuity for pupils, and reduced churn in key year groups.

As with many mainstream primaries, the important pastoral question for some families is SEND support. The inspection report’s improvement point on SEND support plans is worth taking seriously. The practical implication is not that support is absent, but that parents of children with SEND should ask specific questions about targets, tracking, and how progress is reviewed with families, especially if needs are subtle and require careful monitoring.

Extracurricular provision is strongest when it is specific, regular, and linked to clear participation. Rawdon St Peter’s after school clubs list provides exactly that.

For example, Lego Club running across Reception to Year 4 is a simple but effective way to build early STEM confidence, fine motor skills, and collaborative problem solving, without turning it into a formal lesson. The implication is often improved persistence with multi-step tasks, which shows up later in maths reasoning and writing stamina.

The school also lists Chess for Years 3 to 6 and Basketball for Years 3 and 4. Chess is a good proxy for structured thinking and turn taking, while basketball supports coordination and team habits. Choir and a Horrible History club point to creative and humanities enrichment, and a specific Science club for Years 3 and 4 indicates subject enthusiasm being cultivated before Year 6 SATs pressure peaks.

A distinctive named feature from the inspection report is The Hive, described as an outdoor learning area linked to environment and sustainability experiences. Outdoor learning works best when it is not a once-a-year “forest school day” but a recurring part of the curriculum. The implication for pupils is often stronger vocabulary, better observation skills, and a calmer route back into learning for children who regulate better through movement and practical activity.

The school day timing can be inferred from published routines around clubs and wraparound arrangements. After school clubs run from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, and wraparound childcare is available each day via Emma’s Angels, with morning provision from 7:15am and after school provision up to 6pm, including breakfast and a light snack. Pupils are taken to school for an 8:50am start.

Transport practicalities will depend on where you live in Rawdon and surrounding areas. For many families, the realistic day to day question is walkability at drop-off and pick-up, plus how traffic feels on Town Street at peak times. If you are planning on driving, it is worth checking local parking patterns and whether you can build in contingency for winter weather and congestion.

• Competition for places. Demand data shows more than two applications per place for Reception entry. Families should treat admission as uncertain unless they clearly meet high priority criteria.

• SEND tracking is a development area. The latest inspection identifies the need for clearer next steps in SEND support plans and improved tracking of progress. Parents of children with SEND should ask how targets are set, reviewed, and shared with families.

• Curriculum consistency. The inspection report also notes that the curriculum is not fully embedded in all subjects. For most pupils this may not be visible day to day, but families with children who thrive on deep subject knowledge, particularly in foundation subjects, may want to ask how subject leaders ensure consistency across classes.

• Wraparound is provided via a separate organisation. Wraparound childcare is available, but it is delivered by Emma’s Angels rather than directly by the school. That can work very well, but parents should check booking, staffing, and day-to-day handover arrangements.

Rawdon St Peter’s is a high-performing Leeds primary with a clear values framework, strong 2024 KS2 outcomes, and an established extracurricular menu that is specific rather than generic. The main barrier is admission, and families should plan carefully around oversubscription and priority rules. Best suited to families seeking a Church of England primary with above-average academic outcomes, clear safeguarding leadership, and structured enrichment, and who are realistic about the competitiveness of Reception entry.