St Mary's RC Primary School, Manchester
St Mary's RC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 154th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 9,159th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 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 RC Primary School in detail
St Mary's RC Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "The ‘About Us’ section contains pages contain information that describes and defines our school. This includes our objectives, values and how we go about achieving them. Please use the page links below to learn more."
From the headteacher's welcome: "As a Catholic school, we strive towards providing a curriculum and learning environment that ensures every child achieves and makes the most of their talents given to them by God. We recognise that Christ is our greatest teacher and strive to be more like him in what we say and what we do."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's RC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Tameside and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 90% in reading and 73% 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 RC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 38 families put St Mary's RC Primary School as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Mary's RC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's RC Primary School are Greswell Primary School and Nursery (0.4 miles); Russell Scott Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 66% reading, 70% maths); Linden Road Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 86% reading, 83% maths); and St Anne's Primary School (0.6 miles).
St Mary's RC Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
Greswell Primary School and NurseryRussell Scott Primary SchoolLinden Road AcademySt Anne's Primary School
What parents say
31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's RC Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 63% 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) (63%).
Who goes there
15.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 12.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (60%), Mixed (19%) and Black (14%).
In 2026, 30 pupils (13.2%) received SEN support and 21 (9.2%) 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.
St Mary's RC Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 12 places, 7 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Denton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
22 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pitt Street (opposite), 120 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's RC Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.9 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 RC Primary School are St Thomas More RC College (0.2 miles), Denton Community Academy (0.5 miles) and Audenshaw School (1 mile).
St Thomas More RC CollegeDenton Community AcademyAudenshaw School
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 July 2013, 13 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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school has established a mission built around the love of God, the school community and learning. Pupils understand that what they learn now will help them to achieve their aspirations for the future. There is a real sense of family at St Mary's RC Primary School. Leaders have established a culture that helps pupils to feel happy and safe. One parent summed up the views of many by saying, 'My child skips into school every day.'
The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement. The new leadership team has established an ambitious curriculum. In early years, children quickly learn the skills that they need for future learning. This prepares children well for the demands of Year 1. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Across the school, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's recently revised curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. In the main, the curriculum is taught consistently well. In early years, staff help children to develop very positive attitudes to their learning. Children cooperate consistently well with each other. They sustain their concentration in order to complete the activities that they are given. Across the school, pupils follow established routines that help them to focus on their learning. In mathematics, children in early years quickly develop their understanding of number. This helps them to become confident in making different amounts. Older pupils have lots of opportunities to rehearse and repeat their learning. Pupils use their knowledge to help them to solve increasingly complex mathematical problems.
In most subjects, the knowledge that pupils need is clearly identified. Pupils explained their impressive knowledge about how to introduce variables to conduct science experiments. In early years, children develop their scientific understanding by exploring their senses and making observations. However, in some subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need has not been clearly defined or taught. Some pupils have gaps in their prior knowledge. In these areas, pupils struggle to connect their new learning to the things that they already know.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its July 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
15.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
31 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 90% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 73% to 43% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.8
Avg class size
30.3
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's RC Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's RC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's RC 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
- 36
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 22 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 RC Primary School
Will you get a place at St Mary's RC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's RC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's RC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's RC 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 RC 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
100%
Full
210 pupils
210 places
No 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
22.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Mary's RC Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 12 places, 7 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
228
Total Pupils
129
Boys
99
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
17.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,504
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,465
Per pupil
£1240k
Total funding
£52k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.3%
Overall absence
3.9%
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 RC Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Mary's RC Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Mary's RC Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Mary's RC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's RC Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's RC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's RC 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 RC Primary School?
St Mary's RC Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Mary's RC Primary School?
Classes at St Mary's RC Primary School 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 RC Primary School?
St Mary's RC Primary School has around 228 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Mary's RC Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
St Mary's RC Primary School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 12 places, 7 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St Mary's RC Primary School?
3.3% of sessions were missed at St Mary's RC Primary School in 2024/25. 3.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's RC Primary School?
Apply through Tameside's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's RC 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 RC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 22 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 RC Primary School?
St Mary's RC Primary School is at Kynder Street, Denton, Manchester, M34 2AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)