St Leonard's Catholic Primary School, Silksworth Review 2026: High-performing Catholic primary with a calm, structured culture

A school that puts clarity first. The day is tightly organised, expectations are explicit, and pupils are taught to take pride in routines, from reading practice to liturgy. The ethos is unapologetically Catholic, but families of other faiths and none are welcomed, and pupils are encouraged to show respect for difference.

Academy conversion in 2020 brought the school into Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, and the most recent inspection evidence points to rapid improvement since then, particularly around behaviour, curriculum structure, and staff confidence.

For parents, the headline is strong primary outcomes. The school’s Key Stage 2 figures sit well above England averages, and FindMySchool rankings place it among the stronger primaries nationally. Demand is also real, with more applications than offers in the latest published admissions data, so practical planning matters.

This is a values-led Catholic primary where faith is woven into daily patterns rather than being confined to assemblies. Each class has a liturgical focal point, pupils plan and lead weekly liturgical prayer, and older pupils take visible roles, including Prayer Leaders and Mini Vinnies.

There is strong evidence of a settled climate for learning. The school has emphasised a calm environment, consistent routines, and a clear behaviour culture. Pupils are encouraged to be courteous and thoughtful, and the tone is purposeful without feeling harsh.

Leadership capacity looks clearly defined. The current head teacher is Mrs Dionne Dunn, supported by a deputy head who is also the SENDCo, plus senior lead teachers. The staff list is published and was updated in September 2025, which is a good signal for parents who want clarity on who is responsible for what.

Community life is not an add-on. The Friends of St Leonard’s group is positioned as part of the school’s operating rhythm, underwriting trips and events, running fayres, and offering practical support such as a pre-loved uniform shop.

The school’s latest published Key Stage 2 outcomes are exceptionally high on the headline measures. 100% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. Science was also reported at 100% meeting the expected standard, against an England average of 82%.

Depth is a further differentiator. 48.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, versus an England average of 8%. Writing depth is also strong, with 36% working at greater depth.

Scaled scores support the same picture: reading 111, maths 110, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 110.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 306th in England for primary outcomes and 2nd locally in Sunderland. That places it well above England average (top 10%), and very close to the top 2% threshold. Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these outcomes side-by-side.

Reading is treated as a core skill rather than a single subject slot. The school has a chosen phonics programme with staff trained to deliver it consistently, and there is clear emphasis on early identification for pupils who need to catch up. The implication for families is simple: children who arrive in Reception or Year 1 needing a structured approach to reading should find well-defined routines, while strong readers will also benefit from a culture that values books and authors.

Curriculum planning is positioned as deliberate and sequenced. In foundation subjects, the school describes topic selection as supporting chronology and building knowledge in a logical order, with visits and workshops used to deepen understanding. History is also described as designed alongside secondary colleagues within the trust, which matters for parents who worry about a jarring transition at Year 7.

Science is articulated through threshold concepts that are revisited over time, with explicit attention to scientific vocabulary and working scientifically skills. This kind of framing tends to suit pupils who benefit from repetition and clear schema-building, rather than one-off topic coverage.

Personal development is similarly structured. PSHE, including relationships and sex education, is taught through a Catholic programme and aligned materials, and the school states that there is dedicated staffing focus on pastoral care and children’s mental health.

As a primary, the key destination question is transition to secondary school. The school explicitly prepares pupils to be ready for secondary, and published school dates include Year 6 to Year 7 transition days linked with St Anthony’s and St Aidan’s, suggesting these are common pathways for local Catholic families.

For pupils with SEND, the school describes a transition process that includes liaison between SENDCos, focused work with pupils on the changes ahead, and multiple visits where possible. The implication is a more managed handover than families sometimes experience, particularly for children who need predictable routines.

Families considering non-Catholic secondary routes can still expect the core transfer preparation, but should check Sunderland’s secondary admissions guidance early, because the move from a faith-based primary to a community secondary can involve a different admissions logic and different pastoral styles.

St Leonard’s is a state school with no tuition fees. Admissions are coordinated through the local authority for Reception entry, but the school sits under a Catholic admissions framework, so faith evidence can matter when the school is oversubscribed.

Demand is meaningful. In the latest published Reception entry data, there were 49 applications for 31 offers, which is 1.58 applications per place. That level of competition is not extreme by big-city standards, but it is enough to make criteria and paperwork important.

For September 2026 entry, the published admissions policy sets the closing date as 15 January 2026, with offers communicated on 16 April 2026 (or the next working day). Parents should treat those dates as fixed points for planning and ensure any supplementary faith evidence is ready at the time of application.

Open events are used in a practical way. The school has previously scheduled an open evening for prospective Reception parents in early October, which suggests a typical autumn pattern. Dates change year to year, so families should check the school’s current diary before relying on historic timings.

Parents considering proximity should also remember that the school uses distance as a tie-breaker within oversubscription categories, measured via the local authority’s system. The FindMySchool Map Search can help families sense-check how their address compares to typical local patterns, even when the last offered distance is not published.

Pastoral support is visible in staffing, with a named mental health lead in the support team, and a stated emphasis on emotional health within PSHE. That matters for families who want wellbeing to be something that is taught and managed, not only responded to when problems arise.

Safeguarding arrangements are reported as effective, with staff trained to identify when a pupil or family may need support, and pupils describing confidence in approaching adults if they have worries.

SEND support appears well-organised. The school’s SEND information report references adaptations, small-group and individual support where needed, external professional involvement when appropriate, and practical accessibility features such as ramp access.

The co-curricular offer mixes the expected and the distinctive. Clubs are described as changing termly based on demand, with examples spanning arts and crafts, performing arts, and sport. Published school dates give a sense of what that looks like in practice across a term: choir, football team training, and multi-sports sessions show up repeatedly as regular fixtures rather than one-off events.

Some of the most characterful opportunities sit within the school’s Catholic service and leadership culture. Mini Vinnies operate with a clear service identity, and the Catholic inspection report describes pupils engaging in projects such as collections and community support, as well as wider-facing initiatives like planned walking routes for a Lent fundraising campaign and work linked to an environmental award.

There are also signs of enrichment through visitors and careers exposure, including civic and professional visitors referenced in inspection evidence. For pupils, the implication is broader aspiration-building earlier than many primaries manage, which can be especially valuable in communities where children’s sense of future options is shaped mainly by family networks.

Trips and residentials matter too. The school has previously run a Year 5 and Year 6 residential to Derwent Hill, which is the kind of shared experience that can shift confidence and independence for pupils who have not spent time away from home before.

The school day opens at 8.45am for an 8.55am registration, with the day ending at 3.30pm. The published weekly opening time is 32.5 hours.

Wraparound care is clearly in place. Breakfast club is referenced as starting from 7.30am, with after-school provision running from 3.30pm to 6.00pm, and places needing advance booking.

For travel, most families will be thinking about walkability and short car trips within Silksworth. Practical constraints like parking are best assessed in person at drop-off and pick-up times.

• Catholic identity is central. The school expects families to support its Catholic ethos in daily life, even while welcoming pupils of other faiths. If you want a fully secular experience, this may not be the right fit.

• Oversubscription means paperwork matters. With 49 applications for 31 offers in the latest published data, missing a deadline or faith evidence can be the difference between a place and a long wait.

• Curriculum implementation was described as still developing in parts. Some subjects were identified as newer, with leaders needing stronger systems for revisiting and checking knowledge over time. Parents should ask how that work has progressed since the last inspection.

• Wraparound is available, but it is structured. Places are booked in advance and may not suit families who need last-minute flexibility.

St Leonard’s Catholic Primary School, Silksworth combines a clearly Catholic identity with a well-structured academic and pastoral approach. The most recent published results are far above England averages, and the school’s local and national ranking position reinforces that this is one of the stronger primary options in its area.

Best suited to families who want a faith-centred primary experience with calm routines, strong reading culture, and clear expectations, and who are prepared to engage seriously with admissions timelines and criteria.