St John's Catholic Primary School
Blackbridge Lane, Horsham, RH12 1RROpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St John's Catholic Primary School is a primary school in Horsham for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 332 schools in West Sussex. It ranks 22nd of 26 primary schools in Horsham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 7 March 2018, report published 27 March 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 20 September 2023
Pupils thrive in this friendly school. Their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils form very positive relationships with one another. They welcome pupils who are new to the school into play activities. Pupils appointed as 'young interpreters' support those who are new to the country and help them to understand the school's routines. Pupils feel safe in this school. They trust that the staff will look after their emotional needs well. Older pupils show a genuine care for younger pupils. As one parent states, 'The school has a lovely, family feel and my child feels safe and happy.' The school has high expectations for all pupils. Children in the early years settle quickly into well-established routines. Pupils enjoy their time in class and develop their knowledge well in most subjects. One pupil said, 'Teachers help me to learn in a fun way.' Pupils develop their cultural awareness well. For example, the school twins with a school in Kenya and Year 6 pupils write to pen pals in a French primary school. Pupils have a voice and are involved in the running of their school. For example, 'eco councillors' develop school-wide initiatives to raise the profile of environmental issues.
What the school should improve
- Teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to rehearse their mathematical knowledge of multiplication. As a result, too many pupils in key stage 2 do not know their multiplication tables and struggle to independently tackle problems that depend on this knowledge. Teachers need to provide a structured approach to developing pupils' retention of multiplication facts.
- Teachers are not always clear about the knowledge that pupils need to remember in some subjects. As a result, some pupils do not embed and use what they know fluently. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are clear about what pupils need to remember and use this to inform their teaching so that pupils develop cumulatively sufficient knowledge in all subjects.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
30 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
203 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near St John's Catholic Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arunside School, Horsham | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 75% met the expected standard |
| Greenway Junior School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
| St Mary's CofE (Aided) Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
| Trafalgar Community Infant School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Shelley Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | 63% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Finula Farr
- Phone
- 01403265447
- Address
- Blackbridge Lane, Horsham, RH12 1RR
- Local authority
- West Sussex
- URN
- 126039
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.