St Marys Catholic Academy

St Marys Catholic Academy is demonstrating a strong standard of performance across multiple domains, particularly in pupil achievement, behaviour, and curriculum delivery. Pupils consistently achieve high standards from early years through to Year 6, with outcomes notably exceeding national averages, especially in reading, writing, and mathematics. The dedication of staff to fostering an inclusive environment ensures that all students, including those with special educational needs, are well supported in their learning journeys. The school's commitment to safeguarding is also commendable, creating a safe and nurturing atmosphere for all learners. While the school has many strengths, the inspectors have encouraged leaders to focus on continually enhancing leadership and governance to secure even higher standards and experiences for all pupils. With a significant change in leadership since the last inspection, there is a clear pathway for future improvement, as leaders are actively working to reinforce their high expectations throughout the school community. Overall, St Marys Catholic Academy is well-positioned to continue its trajectory of success in the coming years.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve highly across all year groups and subjects.
• High expectations for behaviour lead to a calm learning environment.
• Early years provision is strong, helping children develop essential skills.
• Curriculum is ambitious, rich, and well-sequenced.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Strong focus on personal development and wellbeing.
• High-quality professional training and development for staff.
• Very positive relationships with parents and the wider community.

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 Marys Catholic Academy attended 97.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 2.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at St Marys Catholic Academy 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 Marys Catholic Academy had 23.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.5% 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, 14.9% of pupils at St Marys Catholic Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.9% 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 2024–25 St Marys Catholic Academy received £6,742 and spent £6,725 for each of its 241 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £104,000 (£432 per pupil).

Across all 56 schools of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,565 and spending £7,594 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Stoke-On-Trent · Stoke-on-Trent local authority: places and applications

St Marys Catholic Academy is part of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 64 schools. The nearest others:

• St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Wilfrid's Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St George and St Martin's Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Peter's Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• Our Lady and St Benedict Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St Joseph's Catholic Academy, Goldenhill Stoke-On-Trent
• St Wulstan's Catholic Primary School Newcastle
• St Maria Goretti Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• St John the Evangelist Catholic Academy Kidsgrove
• Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Stoke-On-Trent

What is St Marys Catholic Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Marys Catholic Academy is Strong standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was St Marys Catholic Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Marys Catholic Academy was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does St Marys Catholic Academy have?

St Marys Catholic Academy has 241 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Marys Catholic Academy cover?

St Marys Catholic Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Marys Catholic Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Marys Catholic Academy?

St Marys Catholic Academy is at Ford Green Road, Norton-le-Moors, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 8EZ.