Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Birch Avenue Blandford St Mary Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 9QD |
| Phone | 01258453331 |
| Reference Number | 141046 |
Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School continues to uphold the standards achieved at its last inspection, showcasing effective school management and supportive community values. The headteacher Rosaleen Beaver leads a nurturing environment where pupils feel happy and safe, and parents express high levels of satisfaction regarding the school's commitment to education. The curriculum is ambitious, with a strong foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics starting in early years education, ensuring that most students make good progress in their learning. Despite these strengths, there are areas that require improvement. The recent curriculum changes have not been fully embedded, leading to some gaps in subject-specific knowledge for a few pupils. The school is taking proactive steps to support all students, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, but it must ensure that safeguarding records are consistently detailed to avoid missing critical information. Overall, the inspection highlighted the school’s dedication to personal development and its efforts to cultivate a positive learning atmosphere.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 206 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.54%
Girls: 51.46% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 30.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 3.9% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 29.4 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 28.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 30.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 21 | 32 |
| 2 | 17 | 10 | 27 |
| 3 | 15 | 16 | 31 |
| 4 | 13 | 17 | 30 |
| 5 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
| 6 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 89.3% |
| White, Other | 4.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.9% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Asian | 1.5% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 25 Mar 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 25 Mar 2025 | School inspection |
| 08 May 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Nov 2018 | Monitoring visit |
| 12 Jun 2018 | Monitoring visit |
| 31 Jan 2018 | Monitoring visit |
| 30 Mar 2017 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Jul 2014 | Academy conversion letter |
| 25 Jun 2013 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Blandford St Mary Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | |
| 25 Jun 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 30 Jan 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Jan 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Jan 2004 | Full inspection |
| 13 Jan 2004 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Welcoming and inclusive environment fostering high pupil attendance and pride in the school.
- Strong focus on reading, writing, and mathematics from an early age, aiding in pupils' confidence as learners.
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
- Ambitious curriculum with recent refinements supporting knowledge development.
- Rich personal development experiences, including varied extracurricular activities.
- Strong supportive leadership and well-being initiatives for staff.
Areas for Improvement
- Gaps in subject-specific knowledge due to not fully embedded curriculum changes.
- Insufficient detail in safeguarding records, which could lead to important information being overlooked.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 67% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 7% |
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 | 106 | ||
| Maths | 106 |
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 | -0.4 | ||
| Writing | 0.3 | ||
| Maths | -1.3 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage 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.
Sample
UnlockProgress 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.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 19 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 18 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School
Black Lane, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8SW |
0.82 miles |
|
Milldown CofE Academy
Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7SN |
1.18 miles |
|
Spetisbury CofE Primary School
High Street, Spetisbury, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 9DF |
2.23 miles |
|
Durweston Church of England Primary School
Durweston, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 0QA |
2.54 miles |
|
Downlands Community School
Blandford Camp, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8BG |
2.76 miles |
|
Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School
Newfield Road, Pimperne, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8WF |
2.91 miles |
|
Hanford School
Child Okeford, Blandford Forum, DT11 8HN |
4.3 miles |
|
Dunbury Church of England Academy
DOLWAY LANE, BLANDFORD FORUM, WINTERBORNE WHITECHURCH, DORSET, DT11 0AW |
4.46 miles |
|
Shillingstone Church of England Primary School
Augustan Avenue, Shillingstone, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 0TX |
4.62 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Blandford School
Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7SQ |
0.93 miles |
|
Bryanston School
Bryanston, Blandford Forum, DT11 0PX |
1.49 miles |