St Mary's Church of England Primary School

St Mary’s Church of England Primary School has received its first inspection since becoming a new school and has been graded as good overall. The school demonstrates significant strengths, particularly in behaviour, where pupils exhibit outstanding conduct and a deep understanding of the school's core values. They are enthusiastic learners who feel safe and valued in their environment. While the curriculum is rich and inclusive, there are areas for improvement in writing expectations across subjects. Leadership is strong, with a supportive structure from the Berlesduna Trust, which fosters a collaborative environment for both staff and students.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate outstanding behaviour and respect for others.
• The school provides a rich and inclusive curriculum.
• Strong emphasis on early reading with effective phonics instruction.
• Pupils actively engage in leadership roles and community projects.
• Strong support systems for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Areas for Improvement

• Writing skills are not consistently applied across the curriculum.
• Some teachers have low expectations for writing in a few 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 Church of England Primary School attended 91.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.2% 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, 4.8% of pupils at St Mary's Church of England Primary School 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 Church of England Primary School had 11.6 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, 19.0% of pupils at St Mary's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 32.8% 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 Church of England Primary School received £12,390 and spent £11,855 for each of its 62 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £134,000 (-£2,160 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Berlesduna Academy Trust, income was £7,659 and spending £7,506 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 Chelmsford · Essex local authority: places and applications

St Mary's Church of England Primary School is part of Berlesduna Academy Trust, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Rayleigh
• Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Billericay
• Crays Hill Primary School Billericay
• Felmore Primary School Basildon
• Canewdon Church of England Primary School Rochford
• Whitmore Primary School and Nursery Basildon
• The Willows Primary School Basildon
• Fairhouse Community Primary School Basildon
• Cherry Tree Primary School Basildon
• Merrylands Primary School Basildon

What is St Mary's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.

When was St Mary's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Mary's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in September 2024.

How many pupils does St Mary's Church of England Primary School have?

St Mary's Church of England Primary School has 58 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Mary's Church of England Primary School cover?

St Mary's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Mary's Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Mary's Church of England Primary School?

St Mary's Church of England Primary School is at Main Road, Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 8RJ.