St Marie's School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

About St Marie's School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Marie's School, a Catholic voluntary academy in Sheffield, is a primary that draws a notably diverse intake relative to its local area. With 221 pupils on roll against a capacity of 236, it is close to full but not oversubscribed in terms of physical space. However, the demand signal from admissions is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 63 applications for 30 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.1, and made 29 offers to first-preference applicants from a pool of 31 first-preference families. This suggests a school that is genuinely popular with local parents, particularly those seeking a faith-based education. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14.5%, which is above the national average for primary schools (typically around 12-13%) and indicates a slightly higher-than-average level of disadvantage among its families. This demographic mix, combined with the school's Roman Catholic character, creates a community that is both diverse in need and united by a shared religious ethos.

Academically, St Marie's performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to a Sheffield LA average of just 57%. This places the school 26th out of 106 primary schools in the local authority, comfortably in the top quarter. Reading is a particular strength: 97% of pupils met the expected standard and 42% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 110. Maths also performed strongly, with 90% at the expected level and an average score of 108. Writing and the combined higher standard (3%) are areas where the school is more in line with national norms. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 confirmed it remains Good, with leadership and management also rated Good. This represents a significant improvement from its 2010 inspection, when the school was rated Requires Improvement overall, with early years provision and leadership both requiring improvement at that time.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for a primary of its size, including a sensory room, playing fields, an ICT suite, a library, a gymnasium and a chapel, reflecting its Catholic identity. Sports provision includes athletics, netball, swimming and cricket, while extracurricular clubs cover art, coding, book club, choir and drama. For children with additional needs, the school has stated provisions for moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Nursery provision is available for children from age three. Given its strong academic outcomes relative to the local average, its faith character, and its clear popularity at the admissions stage, St Marie's is likely to suit families who prioritise a Catholic primary with above-average results and a supportive, well-resourced environment. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is advisable for those within the catchment or with a religious connection.

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