St Marys Catholic Academy, Stoke-on-Trent

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades St Marys Catholic Academy on 7 areas: 7 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve highly at this school."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is high and remains above national averages."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have an accurate and informed understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Early years - Strong standard. "Children in the early years are happy, settled and well cared for."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders place inclusion at the centre of their work."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders, trustees and governors promote high expectations and model professional conduct consistently."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school promotes pupils' personal development and wellbeing highly effectively."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "The school should secure exceptionally high standards of leadership and governance, leading to transformational outcomes and experiences for all pupils".

In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at St Marys Catholic Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Stoke-on-Trent and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 83% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 28 families put St Marys Catholic Academy as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Marys Catholic Academy are Norton-Le-Moors Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 87% reading, 83% maths); Smallthorne Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 73% maths); Burnwood Primary Academy (0.7 miles); and Ball Green Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 56% reading, 51% maths).

St Marys Catholic Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.

St Marys Catholic Academy is one of 64 schools run by St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.

35 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Marys Catholic Academy (as of April 2026): 89% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

In 2026, 36 pupils (14.9%) received SEN support and 7 (2.9%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Platform 1, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hughson Grove (opposite), 180 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Marys Catholic Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

St Marys Catholic Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to St Marys Catholic Academy are Haywood Academy (0.9 miles), The Excel Academy (1 mile), St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy (1.3 miles) and Ormiston Horizon Academy (1.5 miles).