Our Lady Queen of Heaven RC School Review 2026: Outstanding Catholic primary in Southfields with strong KS2 outcomes

This is a small, oversubscribed Roman Catholic primary in Wandsworth that pairs a clear faith identity with consistently high academic expectations. The latest Ofsted inspection (22 to 23 November 2023) rated every graded area Outstanding, including early years provision, which matters here because children can join from age three.

Performance data backs up the reputation. In 2024, 78.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, comfortably above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 36.67% reached greater depth, far above the England average of 8%. Ranked 2,490th in England and 21st in Wandsworth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results place it above England average, within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

The school’s identity is explicitly Catholic and community-led, with the mission statement Journeying Together with Christ presented as a shared anchor for pupils, staff and families. The culture is built around a set of values that children are expected to use in daily life (resilient, reflective, aspirational, confident, love, respect, responsibility).

The tone is purposeful rather than pressurised. The most recent graded inspection describes an inclusive environment where respect and care sit alongside high aspirations and a strong pupil leadership thread, including pupils presenting in assemblies, taking on leadership roles, and entering external competitions.

Faith is not treated as a bolt-on. A Catholic Schools Inspectorate report (02 to 03 October 2024) graded Catholic life and mission, religious education, and collective worship at the highest level in its grading scale, and notes a strong emphasis on service, pupil participation in worship, and a visible culture of prayer and liturgy across the school.

The headline KS2 picture is strong, with depth as well as breadth.

In 2024:

• Reading, writing and maths expected standard: 78.67% (England average: 62%)

• Higher standard in reading, writing and maths: 36.67% (England average: 8%)

• Reading expected standard: 73%

• Maths expected standard: 83%

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling expected standard: 80%

• Science expected standard: 90%

• Average scaled scores: Reading 108; Maths 107; GPS 108

Rankings add context for parents comparing across the borough. Ranked 2,490th in England and 21st in Wandsworth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits above England average, within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

The implication is practical. Strong combined results reduce the risk that a child who is good at one subject but weaker in another will be held back at secondary transition, and the unusually high higher-standard figure suggests genuine stretch for higher attainers, not only secure basics.

Curriculum thinking here is structured and cumulative. Ofsted describes a curriculum designed for both breadth and depth, with careful sequencing so pupils build on prior learning and practise what they have been taught. The report gives a concrete example in design and technology: pupils learn key concepts early (such as simple levers and pivots) and later apply them in more complex making projects. That matters because it signals teaching that is planned around mastery over time, not topic-hopping.

Early reading is treated as a non-negotiable. The school’s phonics approach is explicitly aligned to Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, beginning in Nursery and Reception, with a named reading leadership role driving consistency and staff training. In a small school, fidelity matters, because staffing changes can otherwise dilute a programme quickly.

Specialist input is evident in parts of the curriculum. French is taught from Year 1 through Year 6, positioned as both cultural opening and language foundations for later study.

As a primary with nursery, the key transition points are Nursery to Reception, and Year 6 to Year 7.

Nursery does not function as an automatic feeder into Reception. The nursery admissions policy is explicit that children admitted to Nursery have no automatic right of admission to Reception and must apply separately through the usual Reception process. For families assuming a seamless pipeline, this is a crucial planning point.

For Year 6 leavers, the school’s published materials focus more on readiness, curriculum knowledge, and personal development than on naming destination secondary schools. The safest conclusion is that transition is handled through strong curriculum preparation, pupil responsibility, and structured routines, rather than through a marketed “pipeline” to particular secondaries. If secondary choice is central to your decision, ask directly how Year 6 supports applications (especially for faith-based secondaries), and what families most commonly choose in practice.

This is a voluntary aided Catholic school, so admissions have two parallel tracks in the normal Reception round: the local authority application plus school-based Catholic evidence routes.

Demand is high

In the most recent published admissions dataset here, there were 101 applications for 29 offers, and the school is marked Oversubscribed, with 3.48 applications per place. This scale of demand means you should treat admission as uncertain unless your child clearly meets higher priority criteria.

The 2026 to 2027 admissions policy sets out a faith-led priority order. Catholic looked-after and previously looked-after children are prioritised first; practising Catholic families (supported by the required Catholic evidence) sit near the top; then other baptised Catholic children; then other Christian denominations and other faiths; then other applicants, with tie-breaks including sibling links, parish links (for certain categories), and distance used as a tie-break within categories.

For September 2026 Reception entry, Wandsworth’s co-ordinated process opens 01 September 2025, with a deadline of 15 January 2026, and National Offer Day on 16 April 2026. If you are applying under the Catholic criteria that require supporting evidence, the Supplementary Information Form route is also relevant and is published for the 2026 to 2027 cycle.

Nursery admissions are managed directly by the school and use a separate nursery admissions policy, including Catholic priority criteria. The latest published nursery policy available on the school site is for 2025 to 2026 and shows a closing date in early February for that year’s intake, so families should expect a similar early-calendar-year deadline pattern but check the current nursery admissions documents for the relevant year.

Parents weighing competitive faith-based admissions often find it helpful to use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand how their address compares with typical local patterns, alongside reading the oversubscription criteria carefully.

Pastoral culture is closely linked to behaviour routines and pupil voice. Ofsted notes that leaders recently implemented a behaviour policy developed collaboratively with staff, pupils, parents and carers, and that behaviour consistently supports learning. That sort of co-designed approach tends to land better with children because the rules feel explained rather than imposed.

Safeguarding culture is described as open and positive, with pupils confident about speaking to trusted adults. Faith life also contributes to the pastoral framework, with structured worship and service emphasised as part of how pupils learn responsibility and care for others.

For families wanting formal emotional support structures, the Catholic Schools Inspectorate report notes the presence of two emotional literacy support assistants supporting pupils and families, which is a meaningful pastoral resource in a school of this size.

Clubs are not treated as an optional extra for a small minority. The school states an intention to offer every child at least one club per term, and names a mixture of sport, creative, and performance activities. Examples include off-road cycling, performance poetry, choir, chess, cross country, dance, football, multi-sports, and art. The implication is that children who are not “sporty” still have visible routes to belonging and achievement.

Trips and events add texture to the year and also reinforce curriculum content. The school calendar includes educational visits such as a Year 4 overnight experience on HMS Belfast (Kip on a Ship), a Year 3 visit to the Natural History Museum, a Year 2 visit to the London Wetland Centre, and theatre trips including Polka Theatre, alongside a Year 6 residential with PGL at Marchant’s Hill. These are not generic “school trips”; they are concrete enrichment moments that make learning memorable and broaden experiences for children who may not access them otherwise.

Faith-based pupil leadership also shows up beyond lessons. The school site highlights bodies such as a Faith Council and a Prayer Group, which in practice means pupils are expected to take ownership of aspects of worship and service, not only attend them.

School day structures are published clearly:

Nursery sessions

9.00am to 12.00pm or 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Reception and Key Stage 1

9.05am to 12.15pm; 1.25pm to 3.30pm

Key Stage 2

9.05am to 12.30pm; 1.25pm to 3.30pm

There is also a published “soft start” approach, with the school gate open from 8.55am and gates locked ten minutes after the start and end of the day for security.

Wraparound care is available for Reception to Year 6, but places are capped, so families relying on it should plan early. Breakfast club runs 7.55am to 8.55am (drop-off by 8.20am) and after-school care runs 3.30pm to 6.00pm, each with limited places. Costs are published as £7.00 per day for breakfast wraparound and £16.00 per day for after-school care, payable in advance.

• Faith-led admissions. This is a Catholic voluntary aided school, and the oversubscription criteria are explicitly faith-prioritised for Reception and Nursery. Families without the relevant Catholic evidence should read the criteria carefully and have realistic back-up options.

• High competition for places. With 101 applications for 29 offers in the latest admissions dataset here, demand materially exceeds supply. A strong plan B is sensible.

• Nursery is not a guaranteed route into Reception. Even if your child attends Nursery here, you must still apply separately for Reception through the co-ordinated process.

• Wraparound places are limited. Breakfast and after-school clubs exist and costs are clear, but capacity is capped, so availability can be the limiting factor for working families.

For families seeking an explicitly Catholic primary where faith practice, pupil leadership and service sit alongside high academic expectations, this is a compelling option. Results and inspections point in the same direction: a carefully planned curriculum, strong early reading, and a culture where behaviour supports learning.

Best suited to families aligned with the school’s Catholic life, or those comfortable supporting it, who can manage the reality that admission is competitive. The main constraint is not educational quality; it is securing a place.