St Mary Magdalen Catholic Primary School
Spring Street, Brighton, BN1 3EFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary Magdalen Catholic Primary School is a primary school in Brighton for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 75 schools in Brighton and Hove. It ranks 14th of 34 primary schools in Brighton. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 13 November 2019, report published 5 December 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 24 June 2025
Pupils feel at home in this school, which serves as a safe and comforting place for them to learn. Staff greet them enthusiastically each morning at the gate. Pupils' days begin calmly with independent reading sessions where staff check in on their well-being. Pupils trust staff to help them if they have any worries. The school helps pupils to develop their confidence and aspirations for their futures. Pupils are full of enthusiasm for learning and love coming to school. The school is ambitious that pupils will achieve highly in their personal and academic development. Many pupils join the school at untypical times during the year and at the early stages of learning English. Some have not attended school before. They are welcomed by staff and other pupils. Pupils relish opportunities to translate for their newly arrived friends during the school day. Pupils achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils behave well. Staff understand pupils' social and emotional needs. Any pupils who struggle with behaviour have expert support. Pupils are taught how to talk about their emotions. They understand what makes them feel calm and ready to concentrate. This helps them to focus on their learning and participate purposefully in class discussions.
What the school should improve
- The school does not have an accurate understanding of what pupils understand and remember over time in mathematics. As a result, some gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge are not addressed and they do not progress through the curriculum as securely as they could. The school should develop ways of checking precisely what pupils understand and remember in mathematics and support them to close any gaps in their learning.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
23 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
193 pupils on roll, with places for 218
Schools near St Mary Magdalen Catholic Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Paul's CofE Primary School | 0.2 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 76% met the expected standard |
| Middle Street Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Brunswick Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 57% met the expected standard |
| Carlton Hill Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 74% met the expected standard |
| Windlesham School | 0.8 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Clayton
- Phone
- 01273327533
- Address
- Spring Street, Brighton, BN1 3EF
- Local authority
- Brighton and Hove
- URN
- 114541
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.