St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School, Alton
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Alton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 11 schools in Alton with published results, and 4,602nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 103% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School in detail
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "St Mary's Bentworth is a Church of England Voluntary Aided school, nestled in a small rural Hampshire village. We pride ourselves in providing an engaging, secure and happy learning environment with caring Christian principles embedded in school life. Our three values are Love, Respect, and Belong and we work hard to ensure these are 'lived' values."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, multi-sports, dance, drama and art.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 94% in reading and 94% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 38 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School are Medstead Church of England Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 63% reading, 63% maths); The Butts Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 79% reading, 69% maths); Chawton Church of England Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 100% reading, 89% maths); and Saint Lawrence Church of England Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths).
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Medstead Church of England Primary SchoolThe Butts Primary SchoolChawton Church of England Primary SchoolSaint Lawrence Church of England Primary School
What parents say
71 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 85% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (85%).
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (92%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (9.3%) received SEN support and 8 (7.5%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Medstead & Four Marks (Mid Hants Railway), about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Star Inn (ne-bound), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2011, 15 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 March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a caring school where children develop into confident, thoughtful learners with strong moral values. The school excels at developing the whole child - from exceptional early years care through to outstanding behaviour and personal development. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school, and pupils genuinely enjoy coming to school each day.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and conduct - pupils are kind, considerate and demonstrate strong positive attitudes to school life
- Outstanding early years provision with excellent care and prioritisation of key reading, writing and mathematics skills
- Strong teaching in English and mathematics with well-designed curricula that builds pupils' learning carefully over time
- Highly effective support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to make strong progress alongside their peers
- Excellent wider curriculum including significant provision for music, sports and personal development opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects across the wider curriculum, the school has not identified the precise knowledge pupils need to learn, meaning learning does not build as strongly over time in these subjects
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Music opportunities, sporting opportunities, leadership responsibilities, initiatives to manage emotions, British values education and debate activities
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School is a very happy school where pupils thrive and love learning. Most pupils achieve strong results in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 and are well prepared for secondary school.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
71 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 declined from 94% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 94% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 94% to 86% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.8
Avg class size
23.5
KS2
4
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's Bentworth Church of England Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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's Bentworth Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hampshire 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
103%
Over capacity
108 pupils
105 places
3 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Alton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Alton
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,642
Applications
12,982
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
16.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
107
Total Pupils
48
Boys
59
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
17.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,513
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,101
Per pupil
£733k
Total funding
£27k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
2.1%
Persistent absence
94
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School 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's Bentworth Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School was full in 2025, at 103% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
Classes at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School average 26.8 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's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School has around 107 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 2.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Bentworth Church of England 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.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School?
St Mary's Bentworth Church of England Primary School is at Church Street, Bentworth, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5RE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)