St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School Review 2026: High-performing Catholic primary with nursery provision

Strong Key Stage 2 outcomes are the headline here, paired with a clear Catholic identity and a small-school feel. St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School serves pupils from age 3 to 11 and sits at close to full capacity, with around 200 pupils on roll.

The school’s most recent Key Stage 2 figures are well above England averages, and the FindMySchool ranking places it well above England average (top 10%) for primary outcomes.

For families who want a faith-rooted education with consistently high attainment, the proposition is straightforward. The limiting factor is usually admission, with the latest available admissions dataset showing more than two applications per offered place at Reception.

St Adrian’s identity is explicitly Catholic, and it is not treated as a light wrapper around a standard curriculum. The headteacher’s welcome explains the school’s purpose in terms of Catholic education, collaboration with families and parish, and the expectation that Catholic teaching shapes the life of the school.

The school opened in September 1960, founded by the Sisters of Mercy. That heritage still shows up in how the community talks about service, justice, and faith in everyday life, rather than reserving it only for liturgy or special occasions.

Pupils are given formal roles that reinforce responsibility and belonging. Beyond the familiar School Council, the school also runs pupil teams such as Caritas Ambassadors and a Chaplaincy Team, both tied to the school’s Mercy tradition and parish links. These roles are not framed as badges for a select few; they are presented as a practical route into service, fundraising, and leadership through worship and charitable action.

The latest Ofsted inspection (December 2022) confirmed the school remains Good and describes pupils enjoying learning across a well-balanced curriculum, supported by high ambition from leaders.

The data points to a school with outcomes that are substantially above typical levels, particularly in combined attainment.

In the most recent Key Stage 2 dataset provided, 93% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. The England average is 62%, which places the school well ahead on the measure parents tend to care about most. At the higher standard, 41.67% reached the higher threshold in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with an England average of 8%. These are unusually strong figures for any state primary, and they usually reflect consistent teaching quality across year groups rather than a single standout cohort.

Subject-level indicators are also strong. The dataset shows 97% meeting the expected standard in reading and 90% in mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling, alongside high proportions reaching the higher score threshold in reading and in the combined reading, mathematics and GPS measure.

Rankings should never be read as a guarantee for an individual child, but they are useful for local benchmarking. Ranked 465th in England and 6th in St Albans for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), St Adrian’s sits comfortably in the upper tier for the area and well above England average overall.

For parents comparing nearby schools, the most practical next step is to use the FindMySchool Local Hub pages to view these indicators side-by-side and understand how St Adrian’s compares within St Albans across multiple attainment measures.

The December 2022 inspection highlights a broad curriculum that pupils enjoy, and it points to leaders’ ambition for all pupils to achieve well.

What matters for families is how that ambition translates into everyday classroom practice, especially in a school where results are high. One useful sign is coherence across phases. The inspection notes that early years is well organised, with clarity about the skills and knowledge children develop and how that supports later learning in Key Stage 1. This matters because strong Key Stage 2 outcomes are often built, quietly, in Nursery and Reception through routines, early language, and secure phonics.

The school also signals that it invests in specialist capacity rather than relying only on generalist teaching. The published staff list includes a dedicated SENDCo and a named maths tutor. In a small primary, that level of role clarity tends to support both high attainers and pupils who need targeted support, because it prevents the curriculum from drifting into a one-speed model.

Nursery and Reception routines are also set out with clear daily structures, including early phonics, group time, story, and prayer embedded into the day. For some families, this predictability is a major strength, particularly for younger children who thrive on routine and explicit transitions.

As a primary, St Adrian’s main destination point is secondary transfer at the end of Year 6. The school does not publish a formal list of named secondary destinations with numbers, so it is best to think in terms of preparedness and transition rather than a fixed pipeline.

The school communicates that it actively prepares families for the change. For example, it has run parent-facing workshops focused on secondary transition, which is often where practical anxieties sit: timetables, independence, travel, friendships, and the shift in pastoral structures.

For pupils with additional needs, the SEND policy indicates that information is passed on and that secondary SEND coordinators are kept informed. That sort of transition planning can materially reduce friction in Year 7, especially for children who need consistency of approach across settings.

Families considering St Adrian’s should still plan ahead for Year 6, particularly if they are also considering faith-based admissions at secondary, because supplementary forms and evidence requirements can reappear at the next stage even when a child has attended a Catholic primary.

St Adrian’s is a voluntary aided Catholic primary and it is its own admissions authority, so the practical process can involve both the local authority application route and additional school documentation.

Nursery entry (age 3)

Nursery applications are made directly to the school. The school publishes eligibility by date of birth for September 2026 entry and explains that families may be asked for supporting documentation such as baptism evidence and a priest’s certificate where appropriate, although it also states that a certificate of Catholic practice is preferable but not essential for Nursery or Reception.

Because Nursery is often the first point of contact for families new to the school, it is worth focusing on fit as much as availability. The published daily structure shows a strong emphasis on learning through play, phonics, story and group time, with prayer integrated. Families for whom faith integration is central will likely see this as a positive. Families who prefer a more secular early years approach should be clear-eyed about whether this ethos aligns with what they want day-to-day.

Reception entry (age 4)

Reception applications are made through Hertfordshire’s coordinated admissions process, and the school also requires a Supplementary Information Form if you want the school to consider Catholic criteria where the school is oversubscribed. The school’s published page for September 2026 entry states that the closing date for primary applications was Thursday 15 January 2026, and it lists tour dates running across late September, October, November, December and early January.

Given today’s date (26 January 2026), that deadline has already passed for September 2026 entry. For future years, families should assume a similar pattern, open mornings in early autumn through early January, and a mid-January closing date for the local authority application, then confirm the exact dates each year via Hertfordshire and the school.

Demand

The latest available admissions dataset indicates that the school is oversubscribed at primary entry, with 46 applications for 20 offers, which is about 2.3 applications per place. This level of demand typically means that criteria order and documentation matter, particularly for voluntary aided faith schools where supplementary forms can be decisive when the school is full. (Admissions figures shown reflect the latest dataset available, and patterns can shift year to year.)

Parents who are making housing decisions should use the FindMySchoolMap Search and then verify admissions criteria directly against the school’s determined arrangements, because a small change in criteria order or evidence requirements can materially affect chances.

The school’s wellbeing approach is described as proactive rather than reactive. The wellbeing page outlines measures such as family support, mentoring and therapy sessions for pupils who need extra help, wellbeing ambassadors in the playground, calming strategies in lessons, and staff training linked to mental health and wellbeing.

The Ofsted inspection also records a strong safeguarding culture, including staff training on school-specific issues, timely referrals, and appropriate recruitment checks.

For families, the practical implication is that the school appears to take “early help” seriously. That can be particularly important in a high-attaining environment, because pressure can show up in subtle ways even at primary age. The presence of structured support routes, combined with a values-led culture, usually benefits pupils who need help regulating emotions as well as those who are academically confident.

St Adrian’s does not present enrichment as an optional extra for a narrow group. It publishes an enrichment clubs programme and encourages broad participation.

Music stands out as a named pillar. The school’s choir attended Young Voices at the O2 in January 2023, framed as a whole-school point of pride and as something pupils can build towards from younger year groups. For pupils, events like this can be disproportionately valuable: they create a concrete goal, they demand rehearsal discipline, and they give children a sense of representing the school beyond the local area.

Pupil leadership and service is another clear strand. The Caritas Ambassadors and Chaplaincy Team are linked to worship, Mercy tradition, and charitable action, including engagement with local food bank support through the school’s activities. This is not simply “values education” in the abstract; it is framed as outward-facing service, which tends to suit pupils who enjoy responsibility and purposeful roles.

If you want a more detailed view of clubs by term, the school’s enrichment timetable document is the most direct reference point, as clubs can change seasonally.

The school day is clearly set out. School starts at 8.45am, with the playground opening at 8.40am, and the school finishes at 3.15pm Monday to Friday.

Nursery hours are also described, including morning-only and longer day options aligned to 11.45am and 3.15pm collection points.

Wraparound care beyond the school day is not described as a standard on-site breakfast or after-school club offer on the pages reviewed. Holiday provision is referenced through an on-site holiday club provider operating extended hours during school holidays. Families who require consistent wraparound care should clarify availability, days, and booking arrangements directly with the school, because this can be the deciding factor in whether a place is workable alongside employment.

• Faith fit matters. The school’s Catholic character is central to its purpose and daily life. Families who want a faith-rooted education will likely see this as a strength; families who prefer a more secular experience should reflect carefully on fit before applying.

• Oversubscription is real. The latest available admissions dataset shows more than two applications per offered place at primary entry. That usually means criteria order and paperwork, including supplementary forms, can be decisive.

• Some published dates may be out of date by the time you read them. The school’s open morning and closing-date information for September 2026 entry was explicit, but it is now past. Treat it as a pattern indicator, then confirm the current year’s timeline.

• High attainment can bring higher expectations. The results profile suggests strong academic standards. That suits many pupils, but families should ask how the school balances challenge with wellbeing for children who are anxious, younger in the year, or still developing confidence.

St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School combines clear Catholic identity with outcomes that are significantly above England averages in the data provided, and it reinforces its ethos through service and pupil leadership as much as through worship. It suits families who actively want a Catholic primary with strong academic standards, and who are prepared to engage with admissions requirements early. The main constraint is entry, because demand is high and voluntary aided processes can be detail-sensitive.