Springhill Catholic Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Catholic primary with a strong literacy profile

A three-form entry Catholic primary serving Milton Road and the wider Southampton Catholic community, Springhill combines scale with consistently high academic outcomes. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 measures place it well above England averages across reading, writing and mathematics, and the school sits within the top 10% of primaries in England on FindMySchool’s ranking (based on official data).

Leadership is clearly structured, and the school’s identity is unambiguously Catholic, with a mission statement that frames daily expectations around faith and service. It is also unusually outward-facing for a primary, with Springhill’s role as an English Hub signalling expertise in reading practice that extends beyond its own pupils.

Catholic life is not treated as an add-on. The school states its mission as: Together, we will do our best for Jesus, and that language appears consistently across published materials about ethos, charity and curriculum intent. The impression is of a large school with a clear moral framework, where worship, prayer and service sit alongside a mainstream primary experience.

The scale matters here. With capacity listed at 630 pupils, it is big enough to run multiple choirs, a wide clubs timetable, and structured wraparound care, without relying on a small number of staff volunteers to keep things afloat. That size can also appeal to families looking for social breadth, especially in a city setting where friendship groups, sports teams and choirs benefit from a critical mass of pupils.

Leadership information is published in a way that makes accountability clear. The headteacher is Ms Roxanne Ashworth, and governance records indicate her appointment in post from 1 September 2022 (as ex-officio governor by virtue of office). Families who value stability may note that the school has had a period of leadership transition in the early 2020s, with the current head now clearly embedded.

As a Catholic academy, Springhill sits within Newman Catholic Academy Trust. The school’s corporate information explains that it converted to academy status in 2011, with the trust later changing name in March 2017. For parents, the practical implication is that the trust is part of the school’s accountability structure and can influence shared policies, governance support and school improvement capacity.

Springhill’s Key Stage 2 picture for 2024 is exceptionally strong by any mainstream measure. The proportion meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined is 90.67%, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 36% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with 8% across England. Those are headline figures that suggest both a high floor (very few pupils falling behind the expected benchmark) and a sizeable group working at depth.

Scaled scores reinforce the same pattern. Reading and mathematics are both reported at 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling at 113. In practical terms, this tends to reflect consistent curriculum sequencing, secure phonics and reading development, and a school culture that expects pupils to write and explain clearly across subjects, not only in English lessons.

In FindMySchool’s ranking for primary outcomes (based on official data), Springhill is ranked 600th in England and 2nd in Southampton. This places it well above England average, within the top 10% of schools in England. Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these outcomes side by side, and to sense-check how Springhill’s strengths compare with other nearby primaries.

The key caveat is interpretive rather than statistical. High outcomes at scale can sometimes indicate a strongly structured approach that suits many children, but may feel pressurised for a minority. The best way to judge fit is not the figures alone, but how the school describes learning culture and how children talk about it during open events.

The curriculum structure appears deliberately planned, with year-by-year curriculum maps published and a clear expectation that subject knowledge builds cumulatively. That matters for a large primary because consistency between classes and staff teams is one of the hardest things to sustain at three-form entry. Publishing detailed overviews is often a signal that subject leadership is systematic, not informal.

Literacy is a particular marker. Springhill was selected as one of 34 English Hubs nationally, announced in September 2018. English Hubs exist to support evidence-informed reading practice across partner schools, and the practical implication for Springhill pupils is that leaders are likely to have deep familiarity with reading pedagogy, staff training, and implementation detail.

Teaching beyond English is also visible through the co-curricular timetable and curriculum documentation. Computing runs as an after-school club with an external provider, and music is supported through both curriculum and clubs, including recorder club and rock band provision. That mix suggests a school that wants breadth, but delivers it through structured programmes rather than occasional enrichment days.

The school’s Catholic identity shapes teaching, particularly in religious education and pastoral priorities. A Section 48 inspection report dated February 2025 is published, indicating formal external evaluation of Catholic life and religious education. While Section 48 does not replace Ofsted for mainstream accountability, it can be useful for families who specifically want a school where Catholic formation is explicit rather than cultural.

As a primary, the key transition is into Year 7. Springhill does not publish a single guaranteed destination, which is normal for Southampton where secondary options include Catholic and non-faith schools, as well as schools with different admissions arrangements.

What Springhill does publish, in year-group transition materials, is practical guidance that references applying to St Anne’s Catholic School and St George Catholic College, including reminders about supplementary forms for faith schools. This strongly suggests that both are common pathways for at least part of the cohort, particularly for Catholic families aiming to continue within the Newman partnership of schools.

For families thinking ahead, the implication is straightforward. If you are choosing Springhill primarily for its Catholic character, it is worth mapping the full 4 to 18 journey early, including how secondary admissions will work, what evidence is typically requested for faith priority, and how far your family is from each likely secondary.

Reception entry is coordinated by Southampton City Council, rather than direct application to the school. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 1 September 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026 at 23:59. National Offer Day for Reception in Southampton is 16 April 2026.

Demand indicators from the most recent dataset show Springhill as oversubscribed. There were 216 applications for 90 offers, which is about 2.4 applications per place. This matters because it frames the admissions experience as competitive, even before considering faith priority and oversubscription criteria. Families should read the published admissions policy carefully, as Catholic schools typically allocate places using defined priority categories rather than a simple distance-only model.

Springhill also runs structured school tours for prospective Reception families. The school published tour and presentation dates for autumn 2025 (for September 2026 entry). Given today’s date, those specific events have passed, but the pattern is informative, tours typically run in September to November for the following September intake, led by the leadership team, and lasting around an hour.

For families using distance as one part of their decision-making, FindMySchool’s Map Search can be helpful for measuring a precise home-to-gate distance and then tracking how that compares with historic offer patterns at multiple nearby schools. Even where distance is not the headline criterion, it can still matter once priority categories are applied.

Pastoral expectations are explicitly tied to Gospel values and service, and the school’s published approach to charity work frames giving as stewardship. For many Catholic families, that alignment between values language and practical action is central to the choice of a faith school.

Beyond ethos, there are practical indicators of how the day is managed for children and working parents. Springhill runs both breakfast and after-school provision on site, organised in a dedicated “clubhouse” near the school entrance, and available to pupils across all year groups. The after-school club includes access to the school’s MUGA, which can be an important pressure-release for pupils who need movement at the end of the day.

Wellbeing in a large primary often comes down to systems, not slogans. The presence of clear wraparound processes, waiting list priorities, and structured booking arrangements suggests that the school treats pastoral logistics as part of its core offer, rather than a loosely managed add-on.

Springhill’s clubs programme is unusually detailed and wide-ranging for a primary, and it gives a useful window into what the school values beyond assessments. There are two choirs split by phase (Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2), plus instrumental and performance options such as ukulele club, recorder club and a rock band for older pupils. For children who gain confidence through performing, that breadth can matter as much as academic outcomes.

Sport is structured through both school-led and external provision. The timetable includes football delivered through Southampton FC soccer schools, gymnastics and basketball through an external sports provider, and taekwondo as an additional option. The implication is that sport is not limited to traditional school teams; it is also used as a weekly routine that suits different confidence levels, from “try it” pupils to those who want skill progression.

Languages are another distinctive feature. A primary offering both Spanish and Polish clubs signals two things, first, an appetite for language learning beyond the curriculum minimum; second, a recognition of community heritage and home languages. In a diverse city school, that can support identity and belonging, particularly for children who speak more than one language at home.

Finally, the timetable shows a blend of enrichment that is both practical and academic. Cooking and nutrition, computing, art clubs by year group, and invitation-only opportunities (such as a Year 6 maths group) indicate that enrichment is not a single “after-school list”, but a tiered programme matched to age and, in some cases, readiness.

The school gates open at 08:30, and the school day starts at 08:45, finishing at 15:15. The published school week is 32.5 hours.

Wraparound is available. Breakfast club operates with sign-in between 07:45 and 08:20, and after-school club runs from 15:15 to 18:00. Breakfast club fees are £4.00 per session and after-school club fees are £9.50 per session, with payments made in advance. The club operates from a clubhouse near the school entrance and families are advised that there is no parking in the school car park.

For transport and access, the parking note is important. Families who drive should plan for on-street arrangements and considerate drop-off routines, particularly given the size of the school and the likely volume of arrivals at 08:30 to 08:45.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 216 applications for 90 offers in the latest dataset, competition is a real factor. Families should read the admissions policy carefully and plan on having realistic alternative preferences.

• Faith expectations. This is a Catholic school with Catholic life woven into daily routines. Families who are not comfortable with explicit faith formation, worship, and Catholic teaching should consider whether the ethos matches their values.

• Large-school feel. Three-form entry brings breadth and opportunity, but it can feel busier than a one-form primary. Some children thrive on the energy; others prefer a smaller setting with fewer transitions and faces.

• Wraparound capacity. Breakfast and after-school provision is well structured, but places are limited and operate with waiting lists. Working parents should check availability early and understand the booking and notice expectations.

Springhill Catholic Primary School pairs a clear Catholic identity with outcomes that place it well above England averages, and its scale allows a breadth of clubs, choirs and structured wraparound that many primaries cannot sustain. The results suggest highly effective teaching and curriculum sequencing, while the English Hub role points to particular strength in reading and literacy leadership.

Best suited to families seeking a faith-led primary with strong academic performance, wide co-curricular options, and practical childcare wraparound. The main challenge is admission in an oversubscribed context, and the key fit question is whether a large, structured school environment suits your child’s temperament and pace.