St Antony’s Catholic Primary School, London Review 2026: Catholic primary with elite KS2 outcomes and a strong character offer

This is a two to eleven Catholic primary in Forest Gate that combines ambitious academic expectations with a clear, values-led approach to behaviour and personal development. The latest published Key Stage 2 outcomes are exceptional, and the school’s placement within the top 2% of primary schools in England (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data) makes it one of the stand-out performers in Newham.

The atmosphere described in recent external reviews is purposeful and calm, with pupils showing maturity, confidence, and consistently strong conduct. The school also puts real weight behind enrichment, including performance opportunities and structured roles for pupils across the school.

St Antony’s is a state school with no tuition fees. The main challenge for many families is admissions, particularly if you want to be considered under faith-based priority groups, which requires an additional supplementary form alongside the local authority application.

The school’s Catholic identity is not treated as an add-on. Catholic social teaching is described as embedded across religious education and the wider curriculum, while the school also explicitly embraces other faith traditions, which matters in a diverse part of East London.

Leadership is stable and high-profile locally. The headteacher is Angela Moore, as shown on the official Get Information About Schools record and the most recent inspection report. A widely circulated professional biography states she was appointed headteacher in 2013; if you want absolute confirmation of the precise start date, it is worth asking the school directly when you visit.

Pupils are given meaningful responsibilities rather than token roles. The latest inspection report describes allocated jobs for every pupil and leadership roles such as head boy and head girl, alongside opportunities like assemblies and public speaking. That matters for confidence, especially for children who respond well to structure and clear expectations.

A final point on identity is history. The school traces its founding to 1862, established by Ursuline sisters who arrived from Belgium, and the current primary school structure is also shaped by later milestones, including the opening of a nursery unit in the early 1990s and the later amalgamation of infant and junior provision.

The headline message is that Key Stage 2 outcomes are extremely strong. In 2024, 95.7% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. At the higher standard, 60.3% reached greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics. For context, the England averages are 62% (expected standard) and 8% (higher standard).

These results translate into elite ranking. St Antony’s ranks 70th in England and 3rd in Newham for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), placing it among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%).

The underlying attainment indicators also signal a high-attaining cohort. Reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores are 111, 112 and 113 respectively, with 336 as the combined reading, GPS and maths score.

Reading is treated as a priority, with a structured phonics approach and rapid intervention when gaps appear. The inspection evidence also points to strong subject knowledge among staff and a curriculum that is particularly well established in the core subjects, with learning building logically over time.

Early years is a significant part of the story here because the school starts from age two. External review evidence highlights a focus on communication and language from the two-year-old provision upwards, plus established routines that build independence early. For families, this tends to translate into smoother transitions into Reception, especially for children who benefit from predictable structures and clear boundaries.

One balanced note is that external evaluation also flags curriculum development work still in progress in some wider subjects. The core is strong; the wider curriculum is the area where leaders are expected to sharpen sequencing and define the most important knowledge more consistently.

Parents comparing options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these outcomes alongside other Newham primaries using the Comparison Tool, particularly helpful if you are weighing up distance, faith criteria, and the practicalities of daily travel.

For a Catholic primary, transition planning is often shaped by a small set of local secondary options. St Antony’s signposts two nearby Catholic secondaries in Forest Gate: St Bonaventure’s and St Angela’s Ursuline School.

Beyond those, some families will also consider non-faith or selective routes depending on the child, but the clearest published pathway guidance from the school is towards these Catholic secondaries. If your child is likely to pursue a selective route, it is worth asking how the school handles preparation, since primaries vary a lot in how they position that conversation.

Reception entry is coordinated through the local authority rather than direct application to the school. For September 2026 entry, the published national closing date for on-time Reception applications is 15 January 2026, with the national offer date listed as 17 April 2026.

Because St Antony’s is its own admissions authority, the school also requires a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) if you want to be considered under its faith-based priority groups. The deadline for on-time SIFs is also 15 January 2026.

Nursery admissions are handled differently. The school publishes a separate Nursery application route with a stated closing date of 31 March 2026 for the 2025 to 2026 Nursery intake, alongside a requirement for a faith reference where applicable.

Demand is real. The latest available admissions figures show 114 applications for 54 offers at the main entry point which equates to about 2.11 applications per place. For families who are borderline on criteria, small details matter, so it is sensible to read the admissions arrangements carefully before applying.

Parents should use FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise home-to-school distance and sense-check travel time, especially if you are also shortlisting other Newham schools with different priority rules.

Behaviour and conduct are a defining strength. The February 2025 Ofsted inspection graded Behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding and Personal development as Outstanding, alongside Good judgements for Quality of education, Leadership and management, and Early years provision.

The strongest pastoral indicator is how pupils describe safety and relationships. The same report describes warm staff-pupil relationships, pupils looking after one another, and calm classrooms with high expectations from the early years onwards.

Safeguarding is described as effective, with specific next steps focused on tighter oversight of record-keeping and checks. For parents, this is the sort of issue to raise directly at an open event: ask what has changed in practice since the inspection, and who holds responsibility for auditing compliance.

Enrichment is not limited to generic clubs. External review evidence points to a wide extra-curricular range, explicitly including drama, orchestra, cheerleading and a variety of sports. The same evidence also references high-profile performance opportunities such as Windsor Castle and the Globe Theatre, plus success in national song competitions.

The school also runs named academic and enrichment strands. Examples include the Brilliant Club programme and the M.A.E Club (as a published parent information pathway), which are useful signals for families looking for structured stretch beyond core lessons.

Catholic life activities also shape the wider experience. The Catholic Schools Inspectorate report describes prayer and liturgy as joyful, inclusive and meaningful, with leadership roles in that area and a clear emphasis on developing pupils’ understanding of Catholic social teaching in practical ways.

The school day is clearly defined. Gates open at 8.30am; the day for Reception to Year 6 starts at 8.50am and finishes at 3.20pm, with gates locked at 9.00am.

Breakfast provision and after-school activity exist, but the full wraparound timetable is not consistently published in one place, so families should ask directly about start times, booking, and whether places are limited.

On travel, local bus connections include services that stop near Upton Avenue, and official guidance for school experience visitors notes no on-site parking, with on-street parking instead.

• Admissions complexity for Catholic priority. If you want to be considered under faith-based criteria, you need the local authority application plus the SIF by 15 January 2026, and you should also understand what evidence is required.

• Very high academic outcomes can raise expectations. The KS2 profile is exceptionally high, which suits children who enjoy challenge and structured learning, but some pupils may find the pace demanding without the right support at home.

• Curriculum development in some foundation subjects. External evaluation highlights that some wider subjects need clearer sequencing and tighter definition of the most important knowledge.

• Safeguarding record-keeping improvements. Safeguarding is effective, but with identified operational tightening needed around record-keeping and checks, which is worth exploring during visits.

St Antony’s is a high-performing Catholic primary with results that place it among the strongest in England, paired with a strong culture of behaviour, responsibility, and pupil leadership. It suits families who want an explicitly Catholic education in Newham, value calm routines and high expectations, and are prepared to engage carefully with the admissions process and supplementary faith paperwork. Competition for places is the limiting factor, so shortlisting early, understanding the criteria, and planning visits matters.