St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, Milton Keynes
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Milton Keynes. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 60 schools in Milton Keynes with published results, and 2,629th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 112% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Milton Keynes (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School in detail
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am proud to welcome you to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School. We are a very special community where family, parish and school come together for the benefit of all our children. Our school community values each and everyone. We are committed to bringing out the best in all and helping all to fulfil their potential."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, yoga, drama, Lego, eco club and sewing.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 9.15am, an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026 at 1.15pm and an open day on Thursday 17 December 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Milton Keynes
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 78% in Milton Keynes and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (89% in reading, 87% in maths).
Getting a place at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 42 families put St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 44 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 St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School are Greenleys First School (0.3 miles, Good); Greenleys Junior School (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 64% maths); Wyvern School (0.7 miles, Good); and Fairfields Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths).
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Greenleys First SchoolGreenleys Junior SchoolWyvern SchoolFairfields Primary School
What parents say
37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 82% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (82%).
Who goes there
39.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (35%), White British (22%) and Mixed (12%).
In 2026, 30 pupils (8.4%) received SEN support and 8 (2.2%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Wolverton Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Field Lane, 230 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School are The Radcliffe School (0.4 miles) and Watling Academy (1.5 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a happy, caring school where children feel valued and enjoy a broad range of enriching experiences. Pupils develop strong reading skills through well-structured phonics teaching and are encouraged to read widely and often. The school creates many opportunities for pupils to build confidence, take on leadership roles, and develop as responsible citizens through fundraising, performances, and carefully chosen clubs and visits.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and show enthusiasm for learning
- Phonics teaching is well-structured with strong daily routines that support reading development
- The school provides enriching trips, visits, and a well-considered range of clubs to help pupils explore new interests
- Pupils develop confidence through regular singing and musical performances
- Strong pastoral care creates a warm, welcoming environment where all pupils feel known and valued
Areas for Improvement
- Support for pupils with SEND is not effective enough - their specific needs are not accurately identified and classroom learning is not well adapted to help them access the curriculum independently
- Teaching in some subjects is not informed by a carefully considered curriculum, so pupils struggle to build knowledge and remember previous learning
- Early years curriculum lacks clear thinking about how children will build knowledge and skills over time
- Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding in lessons, so misconceptions are not always addressed and activities are not always matched to where pupils are in their learning
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Leadership roles (prefects, liturgy leaders, eco-council), fundraising events, singing and musical performances, variety of clubs, trips and visits, star room support programme
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is a happy and caring school where pupils feel valued and embrace opportunities for leadership and charitable work. However, the quality of education requires improvement, particularly in how the school supports pupils with SEND and in curriculum consistency across subjects.
At a Glance
22.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
37 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)
Reading has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.3
Avg class size
27.3
Infant (KS1)
28.1
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Years 3/4 Netball tournament at St Paul's
30 Sep 2026
Unity Allstars MK Cheerleading Competition
29 Sep 2026
Irish Dancing Competition Winners!
28 Sep 2026
Old Bradwell Under 9's
24 Sep 2026
MK Dons
23 Sep 2026
Netball with St Paul's
23 Sep 2026
From St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Milton Keynes
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School.
- Kumon Wolverton Centre590m away · Not yet graded
- MK Springers1000m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is in Milton Keynes; for families living there:
- Milton Keynes's school travel policy: School Travel Support Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
0 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 Milton Keynes is 8 (the median across 125 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 St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School.
- Milton Keynes publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Milton Keynes 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
112%
Over capacity
335 pupils
298 places
37 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Milton Keynes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Milton Keynes
Across Milton Keynes council
Places available
4,130
Applications
3,155
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Milton Keynes council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
10.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
357
Total Pupils
176
Boys
181
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,109
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,467
Per pupil
£2063k
Total funding
£106k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
8.0%
Persistent absence
312
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
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is oversubscribed, Milton Keynes allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School was full in 2025, at 112% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School average 28.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School has around 357 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Milton Keynes's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School 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.
Does St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School: Kumon Wolverton Centre (590m away, registered, not yet graded) and MK Springers (1000m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 0 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 Milton Keynes is 8 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School is at Ardwell Lane, Greenleys, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK12 6AY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)