St Mary's Church of England Primary School

About St Mary's Church of England Primary School

St Mary's Church of England Primary School is a smaller than average state primary in Bath and North East Somerset, with 157 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210. That leaves a fair amount of spare places, but the school is actually oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry: it received 23 applications for 13 places, with all 13 first-preference families offered a spot. The oversubscription ratio of 1.77 suggests a solid local reputation, even if the school isn't bursting at the seams. The intake is notably diverse in terms of disadvantage: 38.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of around 23% and likely higher than the Bath and North East Somerset average too. That makes St Mary's a genuinely inclusive school, drawing from a community with significant economic need. The school has a Church of England religious character and is led by headteacher Cathie Lampert. It offers nursery provision for children from age three, and the facilities list includes a Forest School, sensory room, chapel, and playing fields — a solid physical environment for a school of this size.

Academically, St Mary's presents a mixed picture. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 40% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well below the local authority average of 62%. That places the school 49th out of 52 primaries in Bath and North East Somerset, putting it in the bottom tier locally and nationally (around the 91st percentile nationally, meaning only about 9% of schools score lower). The individual subject breakdowns are more encouraging: 65% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in writing, though maths lagged at 45%. Higher-attaining pupils are scarce — just 5% scored at the higher level in reading, writing and maths combined. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2024 judged it Good overall, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. Notably, personal development was rated Outstanding, and early years provision, behaviour, leadership and quality of education all scored Good. The parent view survey, with 33 responses, shows strong satisfaction: 94% of parents agreed or strongly agreed their child is happy, and 97% felt their child is safe.

For families considering St Mary's, the practical picture is one of a small, community-focused primary with strong pastoral strengths. The school's SEND provisions are broad, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language issues, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder — and 39% of responding parents said their child has SEND, so the school clearly serves a high-needs population. However, the parent view on SEND support is mixed: 69% agreed or strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need, but 30% disagreed or strongly disagreed, so it's worth probing this if your child has additional needs. The school offers a decent range of clubs including gardening, choir, chess and eco club, plus sports like cricket, gymnastics and swimming. With 82% of parents recommending the school, St Mary's seems to suit families who value a caring, inclusive environment and a strong focus on personal development over headline academic results. The nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Norton Hill Primary School, 4.3 km away, which may be worth a look if exam outcomes are your priority.

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