St Mary's CofE Primary School, Manchester
St Mary's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 130th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- 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 Tameside (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's CofE Primary School in detail
St Mary's CofE Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Please feel free to contact the school direct with any queries you may have. An 'alertDismissed' token is used to prevent certain alerts from re-appearing if they have been dismissed. An 'awsUploads' object is used to facilitate file uploads."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Tameside and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 84% in reading and 84% 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 CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 27 families put St Mary's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 70 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.
Admissions history and your chances at St Mary's CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's CofE Primary School are Moorside Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 74% reading, 75% maths); St Stephen's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.4 miles, 85% reading, 77% maths); Fairfield Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths); and Aldwyn Primary School (0.5 miles, 79% reading, 75% maths).
St Mary's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Moorside Primary SchoolSt Stephen's RC Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyFairfield Road Primary SchoolAldwyn Primary School
Who goes there
In 2026, 33 pupils (14.2%) received SEN support and 4 (1.7%) 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 tram or metro stop is Droylsden (Manchester Metrolink), about 90 metres away (roughly a 1-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Droylsden Metrolink Stop, 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Mary's CofE Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's CofE Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary's CofE Primary School are Fairfield High School for Girls (0.5 miles), Droylsden Academy (0.6 miles), Laurus Ryecroft (1 mile) and Wright Robinson College (1 mile).
Fairfield High School for GirlsDroylsden AcademyLaurus RyecroftWright Robinson College
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's creates a caring 'hub of love' where children are genuinely happy and develop strong values including kindness and respect. The school excels at supporting all learners, including those with additional needs, to achieve well and discover new talents through a rich range of activities. Staff are dedicated to preparing pupils well for their next steps in life.
Key Strengths
- Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are strong throughout the school, with kind and respectful conduct
- Reading is prioritised effectively in early years and phonics is delivered well
- Pupils with special educational needs are identified quickly and supported to learn successfully alongside their peers
- Wide range of extra-curricular activities and enrichment opportunities help pupils develop interests and talents
- Staff feel valued and supported, with governors fulfilling their statutory duties effectively
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, the essential knowledge pupils should learn is not clearly set out, making it unclear what teachers should teach and when
- Beyond Year 2, pupils do not read a broad enough range of texts to develop vocabulary and comprehension skills effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff keeping pupils safe while empowering them to stay safe outside school.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, music clubs, knitting clubs, residential trips, breakfast club, after-school club, theatre opportunities, debates on equality and democracy
St Mary's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school where pupils are happy, well-behaved, and supported to achieve well. The school has developed an ambitious curriculum with a strong focus on reading and personal development.
At a Glance
26.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 84% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.9
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
29.7
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Mary's CofE Primary School.
- LSC @ St Marys Church Of England Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
- funtasia Kids Clubs- st Stephens600m away · Not yet graded
- LSC @ Fairfield Girls High School740m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's CofE Primary School is in Tameside; for families living there:
Apply to Tameside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 21 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Tameside is 12 (the median across 111 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 CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Mary's CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's CofE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Tameside, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's CofE Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Tameside 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
96%
Near capacity
201 pupils
210 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Tameside council
Places available
3,050
Applications
2,451
Got 1st preference
95.4%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across Tameside council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
33
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
15.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
232
Total Pupils
101
Boys
131
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
23.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,333
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,701
Per pupil
£1277k
Total funding
£76k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.3%
Overall absence
5.0%
Persistent absence
181
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 CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Mary's CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Tameside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
St Mary's CofE Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School average 28.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's CofE Primary School?
St Mary's CofE Primary School has around 232 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
3.3% of sessions were missed at St Mary's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Apply through Tameside's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's CofE 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's CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: LSC @ St Marys Church Of England Primary School (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 21 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Tameside is 12 (the median across 111 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's CofE Primary School?
St Mary's CofE Primary School is at Church Street, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 7BR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)