St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Bury
St Thomas Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bury, part of The Sycamore Church of England Trust Limited. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 22nd-highest of the 37 schools in Bury with published results, and 6,834th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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 Bury (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Thomas Church of England Primary School in detail
St Thomas Church of England Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Our vision is to inspire, believe, and achieve through a strong foundation of Christian values. We provide enriching experiences, believing in the potential of every learner. Through trust, friendship, respect, and kindness, we create a learning community where both adults and children can flourish academically, socially, and spiritually."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, gymnastics and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club, from £1 per day.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at St Thomas Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 77% in Bury and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 69% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Thomas Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 55 families put St Thomas Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 91 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Thomas Church of England Primary School are East Ward Community Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 69% reading, 76% maths); St. Marie's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles); St Marie's Roman Catholic Primary School, Bury (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 77% reading, 90% maths); and Holy Trinity Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 57% reading, 50% maths).
St Thomas Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
East Ward Community Primary SchoolSt. Marie's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademySt Marie's Roman Catholic Primary School, BuryHoly Trinity Primary School
The trust
St Thomas Church of England Primary School is one of 7 schools run by The Sycamore Church of England Trust Limited, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 7 schools in The Sycamore Church of England Trust Limited
Who goes there
78% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 41 pupils (8.9%) received SEN support and 18 (3.9%) 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 Bury Interchange (Manchester Metrolink), about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pimhole Road (near), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Thomas Church of England 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
St Thomas Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Thomas Church of England Primary School are Hazel Wood High School (0.3 miles); Bury Church of England High School (1 mile); St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy (1 mile); and The Derby High School (1.2 miles).
Hazel Wood High SchoolBury Church of England High SchoolSt Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary AcademyThe Derby High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
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?
Pupils flourish at this welcoming and caring school. They enjoy learning new information and appreciate the many worthwhile learning opportunities that the school provides. Pupils are happy. They feel loved and accepted.
The school's values of trust, friendship, respect and kindness are embedded throughout its curriculum. These values underpin the harmonious relationships that exist between everyone at the school. Pupils are thoughtful and well mannered. They cheerfully welcome visitors.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that flows logically from the beginning of the Nursery Year to the end of Year 6. Staff are clear about the important subject content that they want pupils to learn and when they need to learn it. Through regular training, staff are equipped with high levels of expertise across a broad range of subjects.
The curriculum is typically delivered well. In the main, staff choose appropriate activities to help pupils to make connections with what they know already and to deepen their knowledge. However, in one or two subjects, staff provide pupils with insufficient opportunities to recap and consolidate their learning. Occasionally, this hinders how well some pupils, including those with SEND, learn.
From Ofsted's June 2024 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 Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
22.4%
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 improved from 69% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 79% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 73% to 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.9
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Thomas Church of England Primary School.
- Bright Light Childcare440m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Thomas Church of England Primary School is an academy, 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Thomas Church of England Primary School 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
- 41
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 30 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at St Thomas Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Thomas Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Thomas Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Thomas Church of England Primary School.
- Bury publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Thomas Church of England Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Thomas Church of England Primary School for 2019 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
102%
Over capacity
403 pupils
395 places
8 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for 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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
12.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
459
Total Pupils
230
Boys
229
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,117
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,541
Per pupil
£2453k
Total funding
£124k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
13.6%
Persistent absence
354
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 Thomas Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Thomas Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Thomas Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 79% did so in maths.
What is St Thomas Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas Church of England Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2011 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Thomas Church of England Primary School 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School?
St Thomas Church of England Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Classes at St Thomas Church of England Primary School average 28.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
St Thomas Church of England Primary School has around 459 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at St Thomas Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 13.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Bury's coordinated admissions process, naming St Thomas Church of England 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Thomas Church of England Primary School: Bright Light Childcare (440m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Thomas Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 30 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Thomas Church of England Primary School?
St Thomas Church of England Primary School is at Pimhole Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7EY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)