St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe

St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Morecambe has been rated as 'Requires Improvement' overall in its latest inspection, which was the first routine assessment since the pandemic. While the school has high aspirations for academic achievement and some pupils perform well in reading and mathematics, there are noticeable gaps in learning for certain students, especially those in key stages 1 and 2. Pupils demonstrate commendable behavior and personal development, suggesting a caring environment that encourages respect and kindness. However, the school's ability to evaluate and enhance its curriculum, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), requires further attention.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and understand the importance of kindness and respect.
• Behaviour across the school is positive, with rare disruptions to learning.
• The school provides a rich array of personal development opportunities.
• Pupils are engaged and enthusiastic about reading.
• The school has made rapid improvements in behaviour and offers a safe learning environment.
• Governors support staff workload and well-being effectively.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not achieve highly enough, including those with SEND.
• Not all pupils have sufficient opportunities to practice their reading.
• Lack of clarity in subjects hinders effective learning design and assessment.
• Insufficient oversight of the quality of education in some subjects.

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 Catholic Primary School, Morecambe attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.2% 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, 1.2% of pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe 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 Catholic Primary School, Morecambe had 16.1 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, 26.7% of pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.3% 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 Catholic Primary School, Morecambe received £8,727 and spent £9,076 for each of its 150 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £39,000 (£261 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 Morecambe · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe last inspected by Ofsted?

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe have?

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe has 150 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe cover?

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 52% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe?

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe is at Coniston Road, Morecambe, Lancashire, LA4 5PS.