Bredbury St. Marks CofE Primary School

About Bredbury St. Marks CofE Primary School

Bredbury St. Marks CofE Primary School is a Church of England primary in Stockport that currently serves 165 pupils, well below its capacity of 335. The school’s intake reflects a notably high level of disadvantage: 47.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, more than double the national average of around 23%. Despite this, demand for places is strong. For the 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 50 applications for just 16 places, with 17 families listing it as their first preference. That works out to an oversubscription ratio of 3.13 applicants per place, a clear signal that local families are actively seeking a place here. The school also offers nursery provision for younger children, and its facilities include a forest school, sensory room, chapel, and music rooms, which add to its appeal for families looking for a well-resourced primary with a distinct CofE character.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024 rated it Good across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This marks a significant turnaround from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 2, results for the 2023/24 academic year show that 21% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared to the Stockport local authority average of 62%. In reading, 50% reached the expected standard, while in writing it was 64% and in maths 21%. Average scores were 101 in reading and 95 in maths. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any of the three subjects. The school ranks 67th out of 67 primary schools in Stockport on the KS2 combined measure, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally.

The school’s SEND provisions are broad, covering moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and physical disability. This, combined with the forest school and sensory room, suggests a setting that is well equipped to support children with additional needs. Sports on offer include netball, swimming, cross country, and athletics, while clubs range from choir and drama to science, art, book, and eco clubs. With a capacity that is currently underutilised, the school has room to grow, but the high oversubscription ratio shows that it is already a popular choice among local families. Bredbury St. Marks will suit parents who value a Church of England primary with strong SEND support and a clear focus on personal development, and who are comfortable with a school that is still rebuilding its academic profile after a recent Ofsted turnaround.

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