St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School

About St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School

St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School is a popular choice among local families, with 23 first-preference applications for its 26 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed at a ratio of 1.81 applicants per place. This level of demand suggests the school has a solid reputation in Torbay, even though it doesn't publish a parent-view recommendation percentage. The school is a state-funded, mixed primary with a Church of England character, led by headteacher Jane Bird, and it also offers nursery provision for children from age three. With 267 pupils on roll against a capacity of 315, there is some room for growth, and the school serves a community where 28.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average.

Academically, St Marychurch holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024, with all inspected areas—quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision—all graded Good. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 40% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Torbay local authority average of 61%. The school's ranking in the LA is 27th out of 29 primary schools on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally. However, individual subject scores show some strengths: the average reading score was 102, and 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, while 60% did so in writing. Maths was weaker, with an average score of 100 and 47% reaching the expected level. The school does not publish progress scores for any subject.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, music rooms, a sports hall, playing fields and a chapel, and runs clubs such as art, drama, eco, science, coding and choir. Sports on offer include athletics, netball, swimming, rounders, football and tennis. For children with additional needs, the school has identified provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. Given its oversubscription, families living closest to the school or with a church connection may have an advantage in the admissions process. St Marychurch will suit parents who value a Church of England ethos, a strong early years offer, and a school that is well-regarded locally despite mixed academic outcomes compared with the Torbay average.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School

Helpful Guides for Parents