St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Burnley
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Burnley, part of Romero Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 33 schools in Burnley with published results, and 4,602nd of 14,452 across England. It was 91% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Wellfield Methodist and Anglican Church School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 87% maths); Whittlefield Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths); Burnley Ightenhill Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 54% maths); and Burnley Stoneyholme Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 87% reading, 82% maths).
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Wellfield Methodist and Anglican Church SchoolWhittlefield Primary SchoolBurnley Ightenhill Primary SchoolBurnley Stoneyholme Community Primary School
The trust
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 18 schools run by Romero Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
11% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 44 pupils (23%) received SEN support and 14 (7.3%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Burnley Barracks Rail Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Mary Magdalenes RCPS (by), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 390 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy are Burnley High School (1.3 miles) and Shuttleworth College (1.5 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; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
21.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 67% to 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.9
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
22.6
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
- Pro Sport Coaching LtdAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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, a Voluntary Academy
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What the report includes for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for 2023 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire 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
91%
Near capacity
192 pupils
210 places
18 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Burnley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Burnley
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
30.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
191
Total Pupils
84
Boys
107
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
21.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,995
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,530
Per pupil
£1202k
Total funding
£56k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.8%
Overall absence
7.0%
Persistent absence
171
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, a Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023.
What is the catchment area for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, Lancashire 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, a Voluntary Academy?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy average 23.9 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, a Voluntary Academy?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has around 191 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
3.8% of sessions were missed at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy 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, a Voluntary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Pro Sport Coaching Ltd (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Wellfield Drive, Burnley, Lancashire, BB12 0JD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)