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St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull

Dorset, DT10 1JXPrimaryAges 2–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
May 2023
KS2 Results
54%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
15 1st-choice / 15 places
Ranking
#9,697
of 13,686 nationally

About St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull, sits slightly below the Dorset local authority average for primary schools on its headline Key Stage 2 measure. The school achieved a 54 per cent expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 56 per cent. That places it 35th out of 119 primary schools in Dorset, squarely in the middle of the pack. It is worth noting, however, that the school is a small, rural Roman Catholic primary with just 87 pupils on roll and a capacity of 175, so its results come from a very small cohort where a single pupil's performance can shift the percentage noticeably. The school is oversubscribed for Reception entry in 2025/26, with 22 applications for 15 places and all 15 first-preference families offered a spot, suggesting strong local demand despite the middling headline ranking.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressOld Mill Lane, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1JX
HeadteacherSharon Betts
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils87
Free School Meals (FSM)17.2%
School Capacity87 / 175 (50% 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

17 May 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 29 Jun 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Forest SchoolDining HallArt StudiosLibrarySports HallPlaying FieldsGymnasiumOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

SwimmingGymnasticsFootballTennisDance

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubDramaChoirCoding

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

SEND Support

Mental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning Difficulty

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

08:00-08:45

After-school care

15:15-18:00

Source: stmarymarnhull.dorset.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, Marnhull

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.