St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is a small, highly inclusive and caring school that inspectors found to be performing well overall. The school is part of the Plymouth Catholic and Anglican Trust and has a well-above-average proportion of pupils receiving SEN support; its location is in an area of above-average deprivation. Pupils feel safe, valued and well supported, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school’s personal development and wellbeing provision is a standout strength. Pupils take on leadership roles, benefit from a wide range of clubs and sporting opportunities, and behave calmly and respectfully. Early years provision is secure, and children are well prepared for Year 1. Achievement is generally strong in the core areas: by Year 6, pupils reach standards well above national averages in reading and mathematics and above in writing, and disadvantaged pupils often perform well. Phonics outcomes rose markedly in 2026 after previously being below national figures. Attendance work is tireless and behaviour is calm, but overall absence and persistent absence remain above national averages. Leaders are caring, knowledgeable and well supported by staff, governors and the trust. However, self-evaluation and monitoring are not always sharp enough, some middle and subject leaders are not yet contributing fully, and support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs is not formalised. For a small number of pupils with English as an additional language, language development is not checked precisely enough. Some variation also remains in pupils’ knowledge across wider curriculum subjects.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive and caring school with strong pastoral support
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is a standout strength
• Pupils develop a strong moral code and understanding of difference and tolerance
• Pupils take on leadership roles and contribute to the school and community
• Wide range of extracurricular activities, including sport and art
• Pupils behave calmly and respectfully, with rare bullying managed effectively
• Early years provision is well sequenced and prepares children securely for Year 1
• Reading and mathematics outcomes by Year 6 are well above national averages
• Disadvantaged pupils often achieve well, particularly in reading
• Phonics outcomes improved markedly in 2026
• Reading sits at the centre of the curriculum and is taught effectively
• Broad and ambitious curriculum with effective early reading and writing
• Strong support for pupils with SEND and effective use of additional funding
• Leaders know the community well and staff retention is high
• Governance and trust oversight are detailed and well informed
• Safeguarding standards are met

Areas for Improvement

• Overall absence and persistent absence remain above national averages
• A smaller proportion of pupils than nationally reach the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined
• Some variation exists in pupils’ knowledge and understanding across wider subjects
• Monitoring and self-evaluation lack sharpness and precision
• School improvement plans and training do not always focus sharply enough on teaching and curriculum impact
• Middle and subject leaders are not yet contributing fully to school improvement
• Support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs is not formalised
• Language development for a small number of pupils with English as an additional language is not checked precisely enough
• Leaders should continue work with partners to sustain good attendance

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, Swanage attended 93.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.5% 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 Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage 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, Swanage had 21.1 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, 22.9% of pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% 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 Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage received £6,908 and spent £7,039 for each of its 180 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £171,000 (£952 per pupil).

Across all 34 schools of Plymouth Cast, income was £8,158 and spending £8,000 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 Dorset · Dorset local authority: places and applications

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage is part of Plymouth Cast, which runs 34 schools. The nearest others:

• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Poole Poole
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole Poole
• Christ The King Catholic Primary School Bournemouth
• St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Wareham
• St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester Dorchester
• St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Weymouth Weymouth
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull Sturminster Newton
• St Catherine's Roman Catholic School Bridport
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Axminster Axminster
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Exmouth Exmouth

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

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

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage was last inspected in October 2026.

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

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage has 175 pupils on roll.

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

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

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

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

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

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage is at Northbrook Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1QE.