St Mary's Catholic Primary School

About St Mary's Catholic Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School sits within Waltham Forest, a London borough where 15 out of 52 primary schools hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school itself ranks 13th out of 48 primaries in the local authority on the key stage 2 expected standard measure, placing it in the top quarter of schools regionally and nationally. Its closest high-performing peers include Riverley Primary School, Yardley Primary School and St Mary's CofE Primary School, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. For families weighing up Catholic primary options in the area, this school offers a solid academic profile without the oversubscription frenzy of the very top-ranked neighbours. It is a smaller than average school, with 209 pupils against a capacity of 218, and the headteacher is Philomena Egan. The school's religious character is Roman Catholic, which will be a key factor for many parents when deciding between this and the nearby Church of England alternative.

Academically, St Mary's performs well above the Waltham Forest average. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 80% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 74%. Reading was a particular strength, with every pupil hitting the expected standard and 60% reaching the higher standard. Maths scores were also strong, with an average scaled score of 108 and 30% of pupils achieving the higher standard. Writing and maths expected rates were 93% and 87% respectively. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, rated overall effectiveness as Good, a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2009. However, inspectors awarded Outstanding grades for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes, and Good for quality of education, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school does not have a sixth form or nursery provision.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a Forest School, playing fields, a gymnasium, sports hall and chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, tennis, gymnastics, cross country, football, rounders and netball, while clubs range from coding and drama to eco club and science club. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech language and communication needs. Admissions for the 2025/26 year show the school is oversubscribed, with 100 applications for 30 places and 36 first-preference applications for those 30 spots, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.33. This suggests strong local demand, though not at the level of the very highest-ranked peers. For families who prioritise a strong Catholic ethos, solid academic outcomes and a school that inspectors rate as outstanding for behaviour and personal development, St Mary's is a realistic and well-regarded choice in Waltham Forest.

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