St Mary's Church of England Primary School

St Mary's Church of England Primary School was inspected in July 2026 and is performing at the expected standard overall. Safeguarding standards are met. This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, with a new headteacher who took up post in April 2026 and recent leadership changes. Pupils achieve well in phonics and the Year 4 multiplication check, and by the end of Year 6 they reach standards broadly in line with national averages. The school is calm and orderly, behaviour is typically good, and pupils enjoy school. The school's inclusive, nurturing ethos is strong. Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are well supported, and early years provision is effective, with reading a priority. The broad curriculum, wide enrichment offer and personal development programme are strengths. Leaders have an accurate view of the school and staff feel well supported. Areas for improvement include communication with parents and carers, sharper analysis of attendance and behaviour information, and more accurate use of assessment in the wider curriculum so pupils develop deep knowledge. Attendance has been low in recent years but is improving. In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not consistently recall their learning as thoroughly as they could. Published outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are below national averages in some combined measures, though the report says they make suitable progress from their starting points.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well in phonics and the Year 4 multiplication tables check.
• By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards similar to national averages.
• Pupils learn the basics of reading, writing and mathematics well.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious, with clear identification of important knowledge.
• Early years provision is effective, and children make the progress they should from their starting points.
• Reading is a top priority from Reception, with strong phonics foundations.
• Inclusion is a strength, with a nurturing ethos throughout the school.
• Pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care are well supported.
• The school is calm and orderly, and pupils typically behave well.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.
• Personal development, PSHE, British values and enrichment opportunities are strong.
• Staff feel supported, and leaders consider their workload and wellbeing.
• Leaders and governance have an accurate understanding of the school and provide effective challenge.
• Effective pastoral relationships help improve attendance for pupils who previously struggled.
• A wide range of trips, clubs, forest school and residential experiences enriches pupils' learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Communication with parents and carers is not consistently clear, timely or well structured for feedback.
• Leaders need to sharpen their analysis of attendance and behaviour information.
• Assessment in some wider curriculum subjects needs refining so teachers can adapt learning accurately.
• In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not consistently recall their learning as thoroughly as they could.
• Attendance has been low in recent years, although it is gradually improving.
• Published outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are below national averages in combined reading, writing and mathematics and in some individual measures.
• Some parents and carers do not support the changes and decisions made by the school.

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 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.7% 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, 2.2% 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 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 41.1% 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, 20.9% of pupils at St Mary's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% 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 £7,022 and spent £6,822 for each of its 323 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £206,000 (£637 per pupil).

Across all 25 schools of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, income was £6,887 and spending £6,916 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 Cotswold · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

St Mary's Church of England Primary School is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, which runs 25 schools. The nearest others:

• Minchinhampton Primary Academy Stroud
• Amberley Parochial School Stroud
• St Matthew's Church of England Primary School Stroud
• Dursley Church of England Primary Academy Dursley
• Whiteshill Primary School Stroud
• Coaley Church of England Primary Academy Dursley
• Watermoor Church of England Primary School Cirencester
• North Cerney Church of England Primary Academy Cirencester
• Lakefield CofE Primary School Gloucester
• Hardwicke Parochial Primary Academy Gloucester

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 Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

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 2026.

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

St Mary's Church of England Primary School has 282 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, 56% 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 St Mary's Road, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8BW.