St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston, Manchester
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston 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 November 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 201st-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 11,173rd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- 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 Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston in detail
Results
In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 71% in reading and 71% 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 Moston
For September 2026 entry, 26 families put St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston as their first choice and 79 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 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 Moston
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston are Moston Fields Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths); New Moston Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 57% reading, 73% maths); Co-op Academy Broadhurst (0.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 86% maths); and Mather Street Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 48% reading, 55% maths).
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Moston Fields Primary SchoolNew Moston Primary SchoolCo-op Academy BroadhurstMather Street Primary School
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (96%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (76%).
Who goes there
52.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 34.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (41%), White British (36%) and Asian (9%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Moston Rail Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nuthurst Road (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston issued 9 suspensions, 3.9 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 Moston are St Matthew's RC High School (0.2 miles) and Co-op Academy North Manchester (0.8 miles).
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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from November 2018, 7 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 June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a warm, caring school where every child feels valued and celebrated. The school excels at teaching reading and provides outstanding support for pupils with SEND, ensuring they achieve well and are fully included in school life. Pupils benefit from excellent enrichment activities including trips to safari parks and farms, plus a range of clubs and community involvement opportunities.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading provision with effective phonics teaching and a love of reading fostered from early years
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, with staff trained to quickly identify and meet needs
- High attendance promoted through strong relationships with parents and removing barriers to school attendance
- Polite, considerate pupils who are confident citizens and feel welcomed and celebrated
- Rich enrichment through trips, visits, arts projects, and opportunities to meet authors
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, the curriculum is not clearly sequenced, so pupils don't consistently build knowledge over time
- Some staff need more support to deliver certain subject curriculums effectively and choose the most beneficial activities
- Assessment systems in a few subjects need development to identify gaps in pupils' understanding and inform future teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Basketball, dance, gardening, school council, urban crew, sports leaders, trips to safari park and farm, residential outdoor activity centre visits, summer and Christmas charity fairs
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is a Good school where pupils come in smiling each morning and feel happy and loved due to the compassion staff show them. The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement and fosters a nurturing, caring atmosphere with community at its heart.
At a Glance
52.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 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 71% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 57% to 45% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
29.3
Infant (KS1)
31.3
KS2
8
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston
From St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston
Before and after school care
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Manchester
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is in Manchester; for families living there:
Apply to Manchester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 9 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 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 Moston
Will you get a place at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Manchester 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
101%
Over capacity
210 pupils
207 places
3 pupils over capacity 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 Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(12)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
15.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
235
Total Pupils
107
Boys
128
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
19.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,104
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,387
Per pupil
£1548k
Total funding
£150k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
7.8%
Persistent absence
180
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 Moston
Questions parents ask about St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston
What are SATs results like at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
Of the pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 66% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is oversubscribed, Manchester 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 Moston?
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
Classes at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston average 29.4 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston has around 235 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
4% of sessions were missed at St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston in 2024/25. 7.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston 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 Moston have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 9 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston?
St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston is at St. Mary's Road, Moston, Manchester, Lancashire, M40 0DF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)