Academy converter · Dorset

St Catherine's Roman Catholic School

5–11Ages
100Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
140757URN

Pymore Road, Bridport, DT6 3TR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.5 above Dorset median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

34 applications for 13 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

30%met the expected standard

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 13 January 2026Published 1 March 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion			Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching			Needs attention
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour			Needs attention
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Needs attention

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

13 January 2026
Report card · 2 Expected standard, 5 Needs attention
7 June 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.6applications per place, Reception

0.5 above Dorset median (2.1) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

34 applications · 13 places offered · 13 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Dorset median median 2.1
2025 3.3; Dorset median median 2.0
2024 2.4; Dorset median median 2.1
2023 2.6; Dorset median median 2.0
2022 4.8; Dorset median median 2.0
2021 2.2; Dorset median median 2.0
2020 2.0; Dorset median median 1.9
2019 2.0; Dorset median median 2.1
2018 2.1; Dorset median median 2.0
2017 2.4; Dorset median median 2.0
2016 2.6; Dorset median median 2.0
2015 2.3; Dorset median median 1.9
2014 2.3; Dorset median median 1.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Dorset median in 11 of 12 years.

This school
Dorset median

Dashed bars: as St Catherine's Roman Catholic School (URN 113823), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	13	34	2.6	13	1.00
Sep 2025	8	26	3.3	8	1.00
Sep 2024	15	36	2.4	15	1.00
Sep 2023	14	36	2.6	8	0.57
Sep 2022	6	29	4.8	6	1.00
Sep 2021	13	28	2.2	11	0.85
Sep 2020	16	32	2.0	14	0.88
Sep 2019	23	46	2.0	22	0.96
Sep 2018	27	57	2.1	27	1.00
Sep 2017	27	64	2.4	26	0.96
Sep 2016	30	78	2.6	32	1.07
Sep 2015	30	69	2.3	32	1.07
Sep 2014 *	30	68	2.3	27	0.90

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 55% · Writing 60% · Maths 40% → all three 30% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard30%78th of 78 in Dorset

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard55%

Dorset 73% England 78%

Higher standard15%

Dorset 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard60%

Dorset 71% England 75%

Greater depth5%

Dorset 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard40%

Dorset 68% England 77%

Higher standard5%

Dorset 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 99 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Dorset median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	30%	0%	100	99
2023/24	50%	8%	105	101
2022/23	38%	5%	102	100

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Catherine's Roman Catholic SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.6applications per place 30%met the SATs standard
Bridport Primary School
0.6 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.6applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
1.8 km · Dorset

Good2024

2.7applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
2.4 km · Dorset

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Loders CofE Primary Academy
2.6 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
4.3 km · Dorset

Good2023

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
4.7 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

2.4applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
5.3 km · Dorset

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Beaminster St Mary's Academy
7.8 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.9applications per place 75%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 140757 · 838/3400
Trust: Plymouth Cast
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 100 on roll
Free school meals: 21.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2014
Replaced: St Catherine's Roman Catholic School (URN 113823)
Address: Pymore Road, Bridport, DT6 3TR
Local authority: Dorset

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources