St Mary's CofE Primary School, Bucknell
St Mary's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bucknell. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2010. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 21st-highest of the 96 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 4,333rd of 14,452 across England. It was 82% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2010)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (100% in reading, 67% in maths).
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, 3 families put St Mary's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 5 named it as one of their preferences, for 3 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 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 Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary School (3.2 miles, Good, 58% reading, 75% maths); Knighton C.I.W. School (4.1 miles); Clunbury CofE Primary School (4.3 miles, Good, 100% reading, 100% maths); and Wigmore Primary School (4.8 miles, Good, 100% reading, 97% maths).
St Mary's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary SchoolKnighton C.I.W. SchoolClunbury CofE Primary SchoolWigmore Primary School
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (57%).
Who goes there
34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 14 pupils (25.5%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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 moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
St Mary's CofE Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 7 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bucknell Rail Station, about 140 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rail Crossing (opposite), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary's CofE 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; DfE school workforce census; 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 October 2010, 16 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 February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's excels at teaching reading through a structured phonics programme, with pupils developing strong skills and a genuine love of books. The school creates a warm, calm community where staff know each pupil as an individual and have high expectations for everyone, including those with additional needs. A well-planned curriculum enriched by educational visits and guest speakers helps pupils develop into respectful citizens.
Key Strengths
- Excellent reading programme with structured phonics teaching and frequent reading practice - pupils become fluent, willing readers
- Carefully planned curriculum covering all national subjects with smooth progression between key stages
- Strong behaviour and attitudes - pupils are courteous, disruption is rare, and the school feels calm and purposeful
- Effective early identification and support for pupils with additional needs who make secure progress
- Thoughtful leadership that evaluates the school well and improves teaching through effective training
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching inconsistencies in some subjects beyond English and mathematics need to be addressed to ensure learning is consistently effective across the whole curriculum
- Early years resources, particularly in outdoor areas, need better development to support independent learning and maximise children's foundations for future learning
- Some presentation of new knowledge by teachers could be clearer and more consistent
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, educational visits, guest speakers, competitive sport through federation partnership, clubs for pupils including those disadvantaged
St Mary's CofE Primary School is a small Church of England primary school where pupils enjoy strong relationships with staff and experience a calm, purposeful learning environment. The school maintains high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and delivers a well-planned ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
34.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 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 100% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 67% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
15.0
Avg class size
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's CofE Primary School
Term dates
St Mary's CofE Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Shropshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
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 Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
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.
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 Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 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 Shropshire, 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 Shropshire 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
82%
Available places
46 pupils
56 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bucknell
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bucknell
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
25.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
55
Total Pupils
24
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
7.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,493
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,237
Per pupil
£471k
Total funding
£15k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
22.0%
Persistent absence
41
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% 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 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2010, 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, Shropshire 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 not full in 2025: it ran at 82% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School average 15 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's CofE Primary School?
St Mary's CofE Primary School has around 55 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's CofE Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at St Mary's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 22% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's CofE Primary School?
Apply through Shropshire'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.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's CofE Primary School?
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. 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 Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's CofE Primary School?
St Mary's CofE Primary School is at Chapel Lawn Road, Bucknell, Shropshire, SY7 0AA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)