St Mary's VA CofE Lower School

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School demonstrates a strong overall performance, with leaders actively promoting an open and positive culture that prioritizes pupil safety and well-being. Attendance rates are above national averages, supported by personalized strategies for families, and behaviour across the school is commendable, reflecting the school's core values. The early years provision is particularly notable; children build a solid foundation for their education through a well-structured curriculum that emphasizes language development and social skills. While the school excels in various areas, including inclusion and personal development, there are some areas for improvement, particularly in the consistency of teaching quality across subjects. The recent introduction of new curricula aims to elevate standards in English and mathematics, but there are indications of gaps in some pupils' foundational skills, particularly in writing mechanics. Overall, the leadership is effective, continuously monitoring progress and ensuring that all pupils, including those with additional needs, receive the support they require to thrive.

Strengths

• Strong promotion of attendance and personalised support for families.
• Impeccable behaviour and a strong sense of community among pupils.
• Highly effective early years provision that prepares children well for Year 1.
• Individual support systems for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders maintain robust oversight and drive improvements rapidly.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils have gaps in basic knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• Inconsistent use of questioning by teachers to check pupils' understanding.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Mary's VA CofE Lower School attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.4% of pupils at St Mary's VA CofE Lower School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Mary's VA CofE Lower School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.4% of pupils at St Mary's VA CofE Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Mary's VA CofE Lower School received £8,051 and spent £8,830 for each of its 123 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £272,000 (-£2,210 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Central Bedfordshire · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is St Mary's VA CofE Lower School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's VA CofE Lower School is Expected standard, from an inspection in April 2026.

When was St Mary's VA CofE Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School was last inspected in April 2026.

How many pupils does St Mary's VA CofE Lower School have?

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School has 134 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Mary's VA CofE Lower School cover?

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is St Mary's VA CofE Lower School?

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School is at High Street, Clophill, Bedfordshire, MK45 4BE.