St Mary's CofE Primary School

About St Mary's CofE Primary School

St Mary's CofE Primary School in Westmorland and Furness is a Church of England primary for children aged 3 to 11, currently home to 228 pupils against a capacity of 223. That slight overspill is a good indicator of its local standing, and the admission data for 2025/26 confirms the demand: the school received 33 applications for 24 places, with all 24 first-preference families receiving an offer, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.38. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 4.4%, well below the national average, suggesting a relatively affluent intake. The school also offers nursery provision, so families with younger children can get a foot in the door early. With a mixed gender intake and a religious character tied to the Church of England, it draws from a broad cross-section of the local community, though the low FSM figure hints at a catchment that skews towards less disadvantaged households.

Academically, St Mary's is a strong performer. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025, inspectors awarded Outstanding across every graded category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a significant upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2012. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 74% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the local authority average of 58%. The school ranked 19th out of 99 primary schools in Westmorland and Furness, placing it in the top 25% nationally. Subject-level scores are strong too: a maths average of 108 and reading average of 108, with 42% of pupils achieving higher standard in maths and 39% in reading. Only 13% hit the higher benchmark across all three subjects, but the core expected attainment is solid.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a music room, ICT suite, sensory room, gymnasium, forest school area, art studios, playing fields, library and chapel. Sports on offer include football, cricket, dance and swimming, while clubs range from book club and art club to gardening, coding and film club. For children with additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 97% of the 62 respondents would recommend the school, and 100% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic foundations within a Church of England ethos, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process given its popularity.

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