St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw, Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 30th-highest of the 60 schools in Bury with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bury (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw in detail
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw in its own words
In its own words: "Our School pages can be found here. Pages can be accessed via the links in the left-hand menu."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am extremely proud to be the Executive Headteacher at both St Mary's CE Primary School and Emmanuel Holcombe CE Primary School, supported by a highly skilled, caring and dedicated team of teachers and support staff. St Mary's is a small, Church of England Primary School, nestled in the heart of Hawkshaw Village."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cooking and art.
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)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, 91% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 77% in Bury and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 83% in reading and 92% 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 Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
For September 2026 entry, 10 families put St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 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's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw are Holly Mount Roman Catholic Primary School, Bury (0.8 miles, Good, 79% reading, 86% maths); Greenmount Primary School (1 mile); Holcombe Brook Primary School (1.4 miles); and Holcombe Brook Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 85% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw.
Holly Mount Roman Catholic Primary School, BuryGreenmount Primary SchoolHolcombe Brook Primary SchoolHolcombe Brook Primary School
What parents say
60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).
Who goes there
6.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (13%).
In 2026, 20 pupils (20.2%) received SEN support and 3 (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 Bromley Cross Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Waggon & Horses (opposite), 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2015, 11 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 November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive both socially and academically. The school prioritises reading and provides excellent opportunities for character development through clubs, trips and responsible roles. Pupils feel genuinely cared for and supported by staff who know them well.
Key Strengths
- Strong emphasis on reading with high-quality texts and consistent phonics teaching - most pupils become confident, fluent readers
- Broad, ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils well for modern life with character development programmes
- Calm, orderly school where pupils behave well and feel secure, supported by effective emotional and mental health systems
- Wide range of enrichment opportunities including clubs, trips and responsibility roles that develop pupils' talents and aspirations
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils who struggle with reading do not get the support they need to develop phonics skills effectively
- A few subjects do not have clear ordering of key knowledge, making it harder for pupils to see how learning builds over time
- Early years curriculum lacks clear definition of essential knowledge and skills, so some children are not ready for key stage 1
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school maintains a safe environment where pupils feel secure and supported.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir club, art club, talent show, school councillor roles, planet protector roles, fundraising for school in Nepal, museum visits, theatre trips
St Mary's Church of England Primary School is a caring community where pupils behave well and achieve across most subjects. The school has a strong focus on reading and character development, though the early years curriculum needs clearer structure.
At a Glance
6.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
60 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 improved from 83% to 91% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 92% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 100% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.8
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
30.5
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
Social & online
Keep up with St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
Term dates
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bury's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is in Bury; for families living there:
Apply to Bury for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 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 Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
Will you get a place at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw.
- Bury publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bury 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
93%
Near capacity
98 pupils
105 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury
Across Bury council
Places available
2,275
Applications
1,901
Got 1st preference
91.4%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All primary applications across Bury council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
20
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
23.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
99
Total Pupils
53
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
16.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,292
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,912
Per pupil
£594k
Total funding
£9k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
7.7%
Persistent absence
91
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's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 91% reached the expected standard in reading and 64% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is oversubscribed, Bury allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
Classes at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw average 24.8 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 Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw has around 99 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
3.7% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw in 2024/25. 7.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
Apply through Bury's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw 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 Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw?
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is at Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 4JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)