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St John with St Mark CofE Primary School

Primary Ages 4-11 357 pupils Bury
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Bury

St John with St Mark CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Bury for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 357 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St John with St Mark CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023. In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: January 2023. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Primary / Voluntary controlled school
Age Range 4-11
Religion Church of England
Address Athlone Avenue
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 5EE
Phone 01617645330
Reference Number 133929

General Makeup

Number of pupils 357
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 54.34%
Girls: 45.66%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 31.4%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 93.6%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 29.3
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 27
Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher 30.8

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 21 22 43
2 27 19 46
3 30 23 53
4 22 13 35
5 27 24 51
6 21 25 46

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
Asian, Other 54.9%
White, British 16.2%
Pakistani 11.2%
African 7%
Mixed, Other 3.1%
Indian 0.8%
White & Black (African) 0.8%
White, Other 0.6%
Chinese 0.6%
White & Asian 0.6%
Unclassified 0.3%

St John with St Mark C of E Primary School continues to perform well, maintaining its 'good' rating from the previous inspection. The school promotes a community of respect, kindness, and responsibility, with pupils demonstrating excellent behavior and a positive attitude towards learning. It offers a well-designed curriculum that supports pupils in acquiring knowledge and skills, particularly in reading, writing, and mathematics. Positive relationships between staff, pupils, and parents contribute to a nurturing environment where children feel safe and valued. However, the school recognizes the need for improvements, particularly in enhancing pupils' vocabulary and reasoning skills to ensure deeper learning across all subjects.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date 22 Nov 2022
Date Report
22 Nov 2022 School inspection
13 Dec 2016 Full inspection:
18 Apr 2012 Full inspection:
19 Nov 2008 Full inspection:
07 Dec 2007 Curriculum and development visit
19 Sep 2005 Full inspection:

Strengths

  • Pupils demonstrate impeccable behavior in school.
  • Strong emphasis on celebrating diverse cultures and beliefs.
  • Well-structured curriculum designed for pupil success.
  • Effective use of assessment to inform teaching.
  • Timely additional support for pupils who fall behind.
  • Wide range of extracurricular activities including sports and music.
  • Strong engagement with parents and the community.

Areas for Improvement

  • Pupils occasionally do not reach their full potential in some subjects.
  • There are missed opportunities to extend vocabulary and reasoning skills.

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 43%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 2%

Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

Subject School Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading 104
Maths 104

Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

Metric School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading -1.3
Writing -1.3
Maths -1

How many students meet the standards

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Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

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Progress Scores

A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.

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Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 12 0
Third Preference 8 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 St John with St Mark CofE Primary School had 318 pupils for 315 places. That is 3 more pupils than the school has room for.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Bury East Primary” planning area

Bury counted 454 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 415 in 2029–30, down 9%.

201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Places 240240270270270270315295295295295295315315315
Pupils 247235238253266276288291294303308290295315318
Unfilled 0.0%2.1%11.9%6.3%1.5%0.0%8.6%1.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%1.7%6.3%0.0%0.0%

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 John with St Mark CofE Primary School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
Authorised absence 3.7%3.6%3.2%3.4%3.2%3.3%3.6%5.2%5.1%5.3%4.7%
Unauthorised absence 0.5%0.6%1.3%2.0%1.8%1.8%1.5%2.8%2.5%2.6%1.7%
Severely absent pupils 0.0%0.4%0.8%1.1%0.0%0.4%0.4%1.4%0.8%0.0%0.4%

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, 0.5% of pupils at St John with St Mark CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.00.70.40.01.31.30.60.60.00.00.00.00.30.01.40.5
Permanent exclusions 0000000000000000

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 John with St Mark CofE Primary School had 22.5 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

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pupils per adult 10.311.810.811.113.011.210.69.410.010.410.29.29.410.611.510.6
Teachers who left state teaching 25.4%10.3%17.7%17.4%13.9%27.7%0.0%0.6%7.3%0.0%0.0%6.1%10.4%11.0%0.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 42.9%35.3%35.7%23.1%20.0%31.6%5.0%15.0%16.7%–23.5%52.9%56.3%53.3%78.6%–
Sick days per teacher 3.40.51.11.10.61.10.16.011.8–5.11.12.94.05.6–

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, 22.4% of pupils at St John with St Mark CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Speech, language and communication needs 28 9
Moderate learning difficulty 19 4
Social, emotional and mental health 15 4
No specialist assessment of need 9 0
Autistic spectrum disorder 1 3
Specific learning difficulty 3 0
Multi-sensory impairment 2 0
Severe learning difficulty 1 1
Other difficulty or disability 1 0
Physical disability 0 1
Vision impairment 1 0

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 John with St Mark CofE Primary School received £7,506 and spent £7,642 for each of its 338 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £187,000 (£554 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

20192020202120222023202420252026
Revenue reserve £108,000£92,000£148,000£143,000-£3,000£81,000£233,000£187,000
per pupil £344£282£458£457-£9£239£679£554
In-year balance £30,000-£16,000£56,000-£5,000-£145,000£84,000£152,000-£46,000
per pupil £96-£49£173-£17-£458£248£444-£137

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

Name Distance
Chesham Primary Academy
Talbot Grove, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 6PH
0.53 miles
Woodbank Primary School
Woodbank Primary School Brandlesholme Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1AX
0.62 miles
St Paul's Church of England Primary School
Porritt Street, Via Huntley Mount Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 6LJ
0.64 miles
St Joseph and St Bede RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Danesmoor Drive, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 6ER
0.66 miles
Hoyle Nursery School
Chesham Fold Road, Bury, BL9 6HR
0.86 miles
Holy Trinity Primary School
Cecil Street, Holy Trinity Primary School, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 0SB
0.87 miles
St. Marie's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Edward Street, The Mosses, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0RZ
0.89 miles
Elton Community Primary School
Alston Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1SB
0.91 miles
St Thomas Church of England Primary School
Pimhole Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7EY
0.94 miles
East Ward Community Primary School
Willow Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7QZ
0.96 miles
Springside Primary School
Springside Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5JB
1.01 miles
Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Rudgwick Drive, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1YA
1.02 miles
Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Leigh Lane, Elton, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 2RH
1.06 miles
St Luke's CofE Primary School
Morley Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9JQ
1.29 miles
Old Hall Primary School
Springside View, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 4LU
1.32 miles
Fairfield Community Primary School
Rochdale Old Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7SD
1.34 miles
Chantlers Primary School
Foulds Avenue, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 2SF
1.48 miles
Heap Bridge Village Primary School
Heap Brow, Heap Bridge, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7JP
1.61 miles
St Stephen's Church of England Primary School
Colville Drive, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 2DX
1.61 miles
St Peter's Church of England Primary School
Whitefield Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9PW
1.77 miles
Name Distance
Cambian Chesham House School
Chesham House, Thrush Drive, Bury, BL9 6JD
0.79 miles
Bury College
Market Street, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 0BG
0.87 miles
Bury Grammar Schools
Tenterden Street, Bury, BL9 0HN
0.87 miles
St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0TZ
1.05 miles
Hazel Wood High School
Hazel Avenue, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7QT
1.06 miles
Bury Church of England High School
Haslam Brow, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0TS
1.21 miles
Holy Cross College
169 Manchester Road, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 9BB
1.23 miles
Mill School - Bury
Wellington Street, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL8 2BD
1.25 miles
Forestwood School
Buller Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 2BS
1.32 miles
The Elton High School
Walshaw Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1RN
1.38 miles
The Derby High School
Radcliffe Road, Redvales, Lancs, Lancashire, BL9 9NH
1.46 miles
Tottington High School
Laurel Street, Tottington, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 3LY
1.85 miles
Oak Haven School
Sutherland Road, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 3PY
2.34 miles
Woodhey High School
Bolton Road West, Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancashire, BL0 9QZ
2.63 miles
Heywood Academy
West Starkey Street, Heywood, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, OL10 4TW
2.86 miles
Star Radcliffe Academy
Coney Green Way, Radcliffe, M26 2SZ
2.87 miles
Unsworth Academy
Parr Lane, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 8LP
2.96 miles
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya
Holcombe Hall, Holcombe Old Road, Holcombe, Nr. Bury, Greater Manchester, BL8 4NG
2.97 miles
Brookhaven School
Parr Lane, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 8LP
3 miles
Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College
Pot Hall, Wilton Grove, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 2AA
3.1 miles

All schools in Bury · Bury local authority: places and applications

What is St John with St Mark CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St John with St Mark CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was St John with St Mark CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St John with St Mark CofE Primary School was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does St John with St Mark CofE Primary School have?

St John with St Mark CofE Primary School has 357 pupils on roll.

What age range does St John with St Mark CofE Primary School cover?

St John with St Mark CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St John with St Mark CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St John with St Mark CofE Primary School?

St John with St Mark CofE Primary School is at Athlone Avenue, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5EE.

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