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St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School

Dorset, SP8 4GGPrimaryAges 2–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2023
KS2 Results
74%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
32 1st-choice / 30 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#2904 of 13,686 nationally

About St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School

St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School sits within the Dorset local authority, a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 2 to 11. In the most recent local rankings, it placed 11th out of 68 primary schools in the county, placing it comfortably in the top 25% of schools locally. Its closest performing peers in Dorset include Spetisbury CofE Primary School, St Ives Primary & Nursery School, and Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, all of which rank ahead on the same metric. The school is led by headteacher Matthew Barge and has a Church of England religious character. With 241 pupils on roll against a capacity of 244, it is nearly full, and its 17% of pupils eligible for free school meals is slightly above the national average for primary schools, reflecting a broadly mixed intake.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressPheasant Way, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4GG
HeadteacherMatthew Barge
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils241
Free School Meals (FSM)17.0%
School Capacity241 / 244 (99% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Feb 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (3 Feb 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 9 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
LibrarySports HallICT SuiteDining HallGymnasiumForest SchoolChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

SwimmingFootballTennisRoundersCross Country

Clubs & Activities

CodingGardeningBook ClubDramaEco Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysical

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: stmarygillingham.dorset.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School

St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.