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St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Cumberland, CA28 9PGPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
May 2025
KS2 Results
78%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
23 1st-choice / 23 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#1909 of 13,686 nationally

About St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Cumberland is a Roman Catholic state primary for children aged 3 to 11, and it is currently running above its official capacity. With 190 pupils on roll against a capacity of 180, the school is clearly a popular choice locally. That popularity is backed up by the admissions data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 42 applications for just 23 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. All 23 first-preference applicants were offered a place, which suggests that while competition exists, being a first-choice school is a realistic prospect. The school serves a community with a higher-than-average level of disadvantage — 25.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 23%. This context makes the school's strong outcomes all the more notable. It is a mixed-gender school with a nursery provision attached, and it sits within the Cumberland local authority, where it ranks 8th out of 111 primary schools.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressHigh Road, Whitehaven, Cumberland, CA28 9PG
HeadteacherSusan Starkie
Local AuthorityCumberland
Number of Pupils190
Free School Meals (FSM)25.7%
School Capacity190 / 180 (106% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

What 59 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

7 May 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 9 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Sensory RoomICT SuitePlaying FieldsArt StudiosMusic RoomsSports HallLibraryOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

FootballCricketGymnasticsCross CountryNetball

Clubs & Activities

GardeningDramaEco ClubFilm Club

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:10

Breakfast club

08:15-08:40

Source: kells-stmarys.cumbria.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary's Catholic 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.