St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, London Review 2026: Catholic ethos, strong KS2 outcomes, and an early years stand-out

A small, faith-rooted primary with a long local history and a modern focus on reading, inclusion, and clear routines. The school opened in Wood Green in 1884, starting life in an iron church and expanding rapidly as the local Catholic community grew.

The latest graded inspection (4 and 5 March 2025) reported Good judgements for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management; early years provision was graded Outstanding.

Academically, the school’s Key Stage 2 picture is firmly above England averages. In 2024, 82.67% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. On FindMySchool’s rankings based on official data, it sits comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England. For admissions, demand outstrips supply, with the most recent dataset showing an oversubscribed profile at roughly two applications per place.

This is a Catholic school where ethos is not a bolt-on. The stated mission centres on loving God and loving one another, and the day-to-day language around respect is consistent, including respect for self, others, and the wider world.

As a Voluntary Aided primary in Haringey, it serves a broad local intake while keeping a clear parish identity. The school serves the parish of St Paul the Apostle in Wood Green, and that church connection shows up in practical community activity, as well as worship and liturgy.

Community structures are unusually explicit for a small primary. Pupils are organised into House teams named after saints, with weekly House points recognised in Celebration Assembly. The saint choices are deliberate, and the stories told about each one point children towards courage, care for the poor, and service. Houses include St Oscar Romero (Red Team), St Leo (Green Team), St Cecilia (Blue Team), and St Teresa of Calcutta (Yellow Team).

Leadership is also clearly presented. The school has federated governance with St Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School, with an Executive Headteacher role and a Head of School leading day-to-day. In January 2025, the acting head of school took up post with oversight across the federation, and the school lists Mrs Andrea Smith as Headteacher for 2025 onwards.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are a clear strength on the published data.

In 2024:

• 82.67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, above the England average of 62%.

• The combined reading, GPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling), and maths score totalled 323.

• Average scaled scores were 107 in reading, 110 in GPS, and 106 in maths.

• 28.33% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 8%.

• Science was also strong, with 89% reaching the expected standard, compared with an England average of 82%.

This performance is reflected in the rankings view. Ranked 2,284th in England and 15th in Haringey for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

Parents comparing local schools should use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool to view these outcomes side-by-side, especially if you are balancing church schools, community schools, and travel time across Wood Green and the surrounding area.

Early reading is a defining feature. Children begin learning to read from their first full day in Reception, and the programme is set up to catch pupils up quickly if they fall behind. Vocabulary development is emphasised early, with adults modelling language carefully so children can use new words with confidence.

Beyond reading, the curriculum intent is ambitious, and leaders have been reviewing what is taught to strengthen sequencing and consistency. Where the curriculum is strongest, knowledge is built cumulatively, with mathematics explicitly described as moving from fraction-by-integer work in Year 5 to fraction-by-fraction work in Year 6. That cumulative structure matters because it reduces the sense of “starting again” each year, and it tends to help pupils who need repetition and clear steps.

Inclusion is not treated as a separate track. Staff identify needs, adapt lessons, and support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities to learn alongside peers for most of the school day. For families with English as an additional language, the school highlights practical inclusion, including inviting parents into school to lead prayers in their home language.

As a Haringey primary, the main transition point is Year 6 to Year 7, and families typically apply through the local authority’s secondary admissions process.

The school’s local Catholic progression route is clear. Through its links with the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust, it describes strong connections to St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, and states that it is one of that school’s main feeder primaries. For Catholic families prioritising continuity of ethos, that relationship is meaningful, especially when combined with the routine transition work done in Year 6.

Transition support is also built into SEND practice. The school describes liaising with local support services in Year 6 to support a smooth move into secondary education where additional needs are involved.

Reception entry is highly structured, and timing matters.

For September 2026 entry, the school set out 30 Reception places for children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022. This is a Catholic Voluntary Aided primary, so families normally need to complete the local authority application and the school’s Supplementary Information Form. The school states that parents need to apply to both the local authority and the school, and it provides an admissions criteria document and a Supplementary Information Form for the 2026 to 2027 cycle.

Deadlines for the September 2026 Reception cycle were fixed and are now in the past (relative to today, 27 January 2026). Haringey’s published primary admissions timetable for that cycle shows:

• Applications opened 1 September 2025

• Application deadline 15 January 2026

• National Offer Day 16 April 2026

The school also states the closing date for both the local authority application and the last date to drop off forms at the school as Thursday 15 January 2026.

Demand is strong. In the most recent published primary admissions dataset, the school is oversubscribed, with 58 applications for 28 offers, around 2.07 applications per place. That sort of ratio tends to mean that applicants who are not high in the oversubscription priority order should have realistic back-up preferences.

For visits, the school advertises open mornings on Wednesday mornings at 9.30am for prospective parents (with booking and group-size limits). It also runs “Stay and Play” sessions aimed at parents of children aged 2 to 4, which is useful for families wanting a low-stakes way to see how early years routines work before Reception.

If you are making catchment-sensitive choices across multiple schools, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check walk-time and distance consistently. Distances and boundaries can behave differently across Voluntary Aided and community admissions, so clarity early saves time later.

Pastoral practice is tied closely to routine and language. Pupils are taught how respectful friendship works, and there is clear curriculum content around staying safe, healthy, and confident in expressing boundaries.

The school places meaningful weight on pupil voice. School Council representation is structured by year group, and pupils feed in ideas through class meetings and an annual questionnaire designed to shape planning and development priorities.

Charity and community engagement is treated as normal rather than occasional. Examples given include practical work with the local church community, and pupil leadership roles linked to community-minded projects.

Inspectors confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular here is a blend of in-house enrichment structures and paid clubs run by external providers.

The school’s enrichment framework puts pupil leadership at the centre. That includes School Council roles, House competitions, celebration assemblies, and structured opportunities for pupils to lead and influence school life.

For clubs with fixed weekly timetables after school, the school lists:

• Football Club (Mondays)

• Karate Club (Tuesdays)

• Spanish Club (Wednesdays)

• Multi Sports Club (Thursdays)

Forest School is another distinctive offer. The school describes access to green and woodland space at St Martin of Porres for Forest School sessions, with activities including den building, tree climbing, fire skills and cooking, safe tool use, and rope work such as knots and lashings. The implication for families is practical: children who learn best through hands-on activity get a different route into language, teamwork, and confidence than classroom-only provision can offer.

The school day starts at 9.00am. Morning gates and routines are structured around an 8.55am bell, and children are not expected to arrive before 8.45am. Home time is 3.15pm for Reception to Year 2, and 3.20pm for Years 3 to 6.

Wraparound care is clearly set out and runs from 7.45am to 6.00pm, delivered in-house rather than by an external agency. Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am until school starts, and After School Club runs from 3.15pm to 6.00pm.

The After School Club description also references children having access to school spaces such as the computing suite, library, classrooms, hall, and playground, plus a daily art club within the provision.

• Admissions competitiveness. The school is oversubscribed in the most recent admissions dataset, at about 2.07 applications per place, so it is sensible to plan preferences carefully and have realistic alternatives.

• Curriculum consistency in a minority of subjects. Work was still underway in some subjects to make delivery consistently strong over time; for some pupils this can mean mixed experiences between classes or year groups.

• Faith expectations. Catholic life is a core part of the school’s identity, including prayers, liturgy, and a mission-led approach to values. Families wanting a fully secular environment may prefer a different school type.

• End-of-day logistics. Collection expectations are explicit, and the school sets clear boundaries about late collection. Families should be confident their travel and childcare arrangements fit the published day structure.

A historically rooted Catholic primary that pairs clear routines and community structures with academic outcomes that beat England averages. Best suited to families who value a faith-led environment, want strong Key Stage 2 attainment, and will engage early with a competitive admissions process. For many, the limiting factor is not the education, it is securing the place.