Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery, Plymouth
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Plymouth, part of The First Federation Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 72nd-highest of the 73 schools in Plymouth with published results, and 13,857th of 14,452 across England. It was 75% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Plymouth (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery in detail
Results
In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 45% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Plymouth and 77% and 75% across England.
Getting a place at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery as their first choice and 38 named it as one of their preferences, for 34 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery are St Peter's RC Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 65% reading, 59% maths); Woodfield Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 71% reading, 71% maths); Beechwood Primary Academy (1 mile, Good, 42% reading, 58% maths); and Whitleigh Community Primary School (1.1 miles).
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
St Peter's RC Primary SchoolWoodfield Primary SchoolBeechwood Primary AcademyWhitleigh Community Primary School
The trust
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery is one of 29 schools run by The First Federation Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery (as of September 2025): 72% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
4.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Asian (6%).
In 2026, 54 pupils (19.2%) received SEN support and 7 (2.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery had 19 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bere Ferrers Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Henley Drive (ne-bound), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 79 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Plymouth (196).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery issued 9 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery are Sir John Hunt Community Sports College (1 mile) and Notre Dame RC School (1.4 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in October 2023. Before that, as Mary Dean's CofE Primary School (URN 113418), it was rated Good in January 2012.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy coming to school. The school provides many experiences to develop pupils' character. The range of clubs and activities help pupils to develop confidence. Pupils have a voice in the clubs on offer. This helps the offer to be broad and interesting for them. Pupils are proud of their sporting achievements in the locality.
The school is ambitious for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to learn alongside one another. However, the school has not fully implemented the curriculum as intended. Pupils do not learn the curriculum well or achieve as well as they should. The school's expectations of pupils are not high enough. This is not the case in the early years, where children receive a strong start to their learning and development.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The trust has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. It has acted swiftly to prioritise appropriate areas for development. The trust has been instrumental in supporting the school to design and implement a sequenced curriculum. The impact of the trust and the school's work is beginning to be seen in a number of areas.
There are pockets of ambition and high expectations for pupils. However, these are limited to some areas of the school's work. Pupils with SEND have their needs accurately identified. Individual learning plans are now better tailored to help close gaps for those pupils. The curriculum design and implementation in the early years are of high quality. This provides a strong model for the whole school curriculum. Children in the nursery and Reception Year flourish. They know the routines and learn how to share and take turns. Adults provide children with experiences that build their knowledge over time. The environments are set up to be exciting places of awe and wonder. Children sustain interest in the opportunities to consolidate learning and be curious. They are well prepared for entry into Year 1.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
At a Glance
17.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
25.5
Avg class size
24.3
Infant (KS1)
30.4
KS2
11
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery is in Plymouth; for families living there:
Apply to Plymouth for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
Will you get a place at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery:
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- Applications, first choices and offers at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery for 2024 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Plymouth got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
75%
Available places
263 pupils
350 places
87 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Plymouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Plymouth
Across Plymouth council
Places available
3,035
Applications
2,294
Got 1st preference
93.5%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All primary applications across Plymouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
54
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
21.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
281
Total Pupils
131
Boys
150
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
14.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,915
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,214
Per pupil
£1580k
Total funding
£76k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
14.7%
Persistent absence
252
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
Questions parents ask about Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery
What are SATs results like at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Of the pupils at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% reached the expected standard in reading and 45% did so in maths.
What is Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in October 2023. Before that, as Mary Dean's CofE Primary School (URN 113418), it was rated Good in January 2012.
What is the catchment area for Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery is oversubscribed, Plymouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery was not full in 2025: it ran at 75% of its 350 places.
How big are the classes at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Classes at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery average 25.5 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery has around 281 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
5.5% of sessions were missed at Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery in 2024/25. 14.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Apply through Plymouth's coordinated admissions process, naming Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery?
Mary Dean's CofE Primary School and Nursery is at Mary Dean Avenue, Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 4LS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)