St Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School Review 2026, a small Catholic primary with strong KS2 outcomes

Mixed-age classes, a faith-led ethos, and results that sit comfortably above England averages shape the day-to-day experience here. St Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School serves pupils aged 4 to 11 in New Southgate (Haringey), with a published capacity of 210.

Leadership has recently moved into a new chapter. Mrs Andrea Smith is the current headteacher, with the school’s history page indicating she started in 2025.

The latest Ofsted inspection (8 to 9 February 2023) confirmed the school continues to be Good.

This is a Catholic school where worship and service are woven into routines rather than bolted on. The school describes developing children “in the knowledge and love of Jesus”, and the Catholic life pages set out a weekly rhythm that includes Gospel liturgy, assemblies, and child-led collective worship.

Community contribution shows up in concrete ways. The Mini Vinnies are a visible strand of pupil leadership, with the school detailing practical projects such as fundraising, local community events, and collection drives.

Scale matters here. Class organisation is structured to make a smaller school work effectively, including mixed-age groupings (for example, Years 1 and 2 together; Years 3 and 4 together; Years 4 and 5 together). For some children, mixed-year classes can feel supportive and steady; for others, families may want to ask how differentiation is managed across a wider attainment spread within one room.

St Martin of Porres posts strong headline outcomes at the end of primary. In the most recent published primary measures provided, 89% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. England’s average is 62%, so the gap is substantial. At the higher standard, 28.33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 8%.

Scaled scores are also strong: reading 108, mathematics 107, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 107 (with a combined total score of 322 across reading, mathematics and GPS).

On the FindMySchool ranking based on official data, the school is ranked 2,622nd in England and 20th in Haringey for primary outcomes. This sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

Those numbers suggest a school where secure basics are in place and where a meaningful proportion of pupils push beyond the expected standard. For parents comparing local options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can be a practical way to view nearby primaries side by side using the same measures.

The school’s curriculum is planned so knowledge builds deliberately from early years upwards. The most recent inspection describes a sequenced curriculum, with specific examples in mathematics (early spatial reasoning progressing into more complex shape and angle work) and in art (moving from careful colour work into critique and artist studies).

Reading is treated as the engine room. The school states it uses Read Write Inc. for phonics, and the inspection emphasises early reading as a priority with systematic decoding practice. One useful nuance for parents is the improvement point from the same inspection: in some cases, younger pupils’ reading books were not matched closely enough to the sounds they had learned, which could make unfamiliar words harder to decode. That is a precise “watch this space” point to ask about in 2026, especially if your child is an early reader who needs tightly aligned decodables.

Beyond core subjects, enrichment is used to make learning stick. The inspection references curriculum-linked visits such as the British Museum, used to support learning in areas like history and art.

As a 4 to 11 primary, the main transition point is Year 6 into secondary. The school notes it works with local support services to help ensure transition is smooth, particularly for pupils who need extra support.

Families in this part of Haringey typically weigh a mix of local comprehensive options and, for a smaller subset, selective routes further afield. The practical best step is to look at your likely secondary options early, then use open events and admissions criteria to sanity-check travel and fit. If you keep a shortlist, FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature can help you track key dates and notes across several secondaries.

Reception admissions are coordinated by the local authority. For September 2026 entry, Haringey’s primary admissions timetable states applications opened on 1 September 2025 and close on 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026 and an acceptance deadline of 30 April 2026.

Because this is a Catholic voluntary aided school, there is an extra step. The school asks parents to apply through the local authority and also complete the school’s Supplementary Information Form. The school’s admissions page states the closing date is 15 January 2026 and also gives a same-day deadline for getting forms to the school (3.30pm on 15 January 2026).

Demand is a real theme. The latest available admissions figures in the provided data show 68 applications and 24 offers, described as oversubscribed, which equates to about 2.83 applications per place. With no published “last distance offered” figure available here, families should rely on the local authority’s distance tools and the latest published admissions guidance rather than assumptions.

Tours are offered weekly in the admissions season. The school states open mornings for the 2026 intake run every Tuesday at 9.30am, with small groups.

Pastoral strength shows up in three ways: clear expectations, visible pupil leadership, and structured safeguarding practice. The most recent inspection describes calm behaviour and high expectations, alongside pupils who feel safe and know which adults to go to if worried.

Ofsted also confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

For families thinking about support needs, the school’s SEND information sets expectations clearly: children are assessed on admission, staff are trained to notice early signs of struggle, and support can include referral to the SENCO and liaison with external services.

This is an area where the school’s size is handled with pragmatism. Rather than promising everything, the school explicitly notes that being smaller can limit what is financially viable, but it still aims to offer meaningful options.

The current extra-curricular list includes specific, named clubs that add flavour: Creative Writing Club, Drama Club, Irish Dancing, Karate, Cricket, and Street Dance, plus early morning sports sessions and multi-sports options across different year groups.

Wraparound care is a practical asset, and it is detailed. Breakfast Club starts at 8.00am (£5 per session). After School Club runs 3.20pm to 6.00pm in term time, with two priced sessions (£6 for 3.20pm to 4.30pm; £7 for 4.30pm to 6.00pm). Weekly activities named on the wraparound page include cooking, film-making, arts and crafts, team sports, sewing and weaving, plus STEM challenges.

Finally, “Forest School opportunities” are referenced on the website as part of curriculum extension, framed around confidence, practical learning, and safe risk-taking.

The school day runs 9.00am to 3.20pm, with gates opening at 8.45am. Lunch timings vary slightly between Reception and older classes.

Breakfast Club begins at 8.00am, and after-school provision runs to 6.00pm during term time, which can be a decisive factor for working families.

For travel, the nearest well-known public transport options in this part of North London include Arnos Grove (Piccadilly line) and New Southgate rail services.

The school does not run its own nursery, though it notes a private nursery operates on the site; families should treat nursery arrangements as separate to the primary school’s admissions and costs.

• Catholic admissions paperwork. You will usually need both the local authority application and the school’s Supplementary Information Form. Deadlines are strict, including a same-day school deadline (3.30pm on 15 January 2026) for September 2026 entry.

• Mixed-age classes. The class structure includes combined year groups in places. This suits many pupils, but it is worth asking how stretching and support are handled across the age range in one room.

• Reading book matching. The most recent inspection pinpointed occasional mismatch between early reading books and the sounds pupils had learned. Ask what has changed since 2023, particularly if your child needs carefully stepped decodables.

• Extra costs for wraparound and clubs. There are no tuition fees, but wraparound care and several clubs are charged per session, so budgeting matters for some families.

A small Catholic primary with a clear service ethos, structured worship, and an academic picture that compares strongly to England averages. It suits families who want faith to be present in daily routines, value pupil responsibility through roles like Mini Vinnies, and are comfortable with mixed-year classes as part of a smaller-school model. Entry is competitive and process-heavy, so families who move early, track deadlines carefully, and verify their admissions position with the local authority tools will be best placed.