Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular emoji_events #253 in Devon public Top 99% UK

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Axminster

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Rob Meech

corporate_farePLYMOUTH CAST

location_onAxminster, EX13 5BE

language Visit Website phone 129732785

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2019

groups

Students

135

school

Expected Standard

21%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.2x

summarize

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Axminster is a Academy converter primary school in Axminster, serving ages 4-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.2×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 99% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Axminster is an academy converter in Axminster, Devon, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of PLYMOUTH CAST. The school has approximately 136 pupils on roll, of whom 14% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 21% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 5% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #253 of 266 primaries in Devon and #14,017 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2019. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.2× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 22.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

21%

LA 57%

Reading53% LA 75%

Writing63% LA 67%

Maths32% LA 71%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

69%

LA 55%England 61%

Reading75% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing75% LA 66% · Eng 72%

Maths81% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

65%

LA 55%England 60%

Reading65% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing82% LA 66% · Eng 71%

Maths71% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.6

Read

LA 0.3

-4.6 to 1.4

1.6

Write

LA -0.7

-1.3 to 4.5

-0.1

Maths

LA -0.9

-2.9 to 2.7

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 63%England 65%

Reading92% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing85% LA 75% · Eng 78%

Maths100% LA 76% · Eng 79%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

108

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.2

Read

LA 0.3

-1.1 to 5.6

1.1

Write

LA -1.0

-2.0 to 4.2

1.6

Maths

LA -1.0

-1.3 to 4.6

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

81%

LA 63%

Reading94% LA 77%

Writing88% LA 76%

Maths88% LA 73%

Read SS

108

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.6

Read

LA 0.2

-2.3 to 3.5

0.4

Write

LA -0.8

-2.4 to 3.2

-1

Maths

LA -0.7

-3.7 to 1.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

17 December 2024

Inspection Report

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02 July 2019

Inspection Report

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21 March 2017

Inspection Report

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03 April 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2019-07-02

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2017-03-21

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2009-06-18

None Legacy

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

2.9%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.5%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 136 pupils. During this period, there were 4 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 2.9%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	136	4	2.9%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	139	1	0.7%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	133	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	132	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	134	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	132	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	135	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	135	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	137	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	136	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	137	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	135	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	138	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	138	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	130	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	130	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	126	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	119	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	124	3	2.4%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	126	3	2.4%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	125	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	127	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	127	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	118	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	119	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	122	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 8 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 2 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

93.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

14.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree57%

agree40%

disagree3%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree63%

agree30%

disagree7%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree47%

agree10%

disagree10%

don't know3%

not applicable30%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree53%

agree37%

disagree3%

don't know7%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree73%

agree27%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree73%

agree20%

disagree7%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree73%

agree27%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree77%

agree23%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree73%

agree23%

disagree3%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes100%

Top Primary Schools in Devon

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Canada Hill Community Primary School

Good

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Bickleigh Down Church of England Primary School

Good

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Witheridge Church of England Primary Academy

Good

location_on Tiverton, EX16 8AH

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Ashleigh CofE Primary School

Good

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Devon

The Grove School

Canada Hill Community Primary School

Stowford School

Bickleigh Down Church of England Primary School

Witheridge Church of England Primary Academy

Ashleigh CofE Primary School