St Mary's Catholic Primary

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Cross Street, Chesterfield, S40 4STOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St Mary's Catholic Primary is a primary school in Chesterfield for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 449 schools in Derbyshire. It ranks 15th of 48 primary schools in Chesterfield. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in December 2018.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 4 December 2018, report published 8 January 2019

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 June 2024

St Mary's Catholic Primary is a happy and welcoming place. Pupils are proud of their school and embrace the school's motto, 'Let Your Light Shine'. They relate this to doing their best and serving others. There are many opportunities for pupils to shine, such as being a school councillor, a prefect or a Mini Vinnie. Pupils can excel themselves while playing in competitions, such as a recent football competition at Sheffield United, where some Year 3 pupils proudly won overall. Pupils might also shine while growing their talents in one of the many after- school clubs. Pupils' behaviour is highly positive. They walk wonderfully and line up smartly as they move around school. They hold doors open and have amazing manners. Pupils of different ages help each other when playing in all the lunchtime activities. Many parents and carers comment on the strong sense of community among pupils. Pupils say this is about treating everyone as equals and with respect, and looking out for each other. The school has great ambition for all pupils to shine. They are continually developing the curriculum so pupils can achieve well in all subjects. Pupils respond enthusiastically. They listen carefully and work hard in all lessons. They achieve increasingly well.

What the school should improve

  • The curriculum is in the process of being reviewed. The school has not sequenced all of the key knowledge that pupils should learn. Where this is the case, pupils sometimes do not build their knowledge or understanding as well as they could. The school should complete their work in these areas and check that the curriculum is having the full desired impact on pupils' knowledge.
  • On some occasions, pupils do not have enough opportunity or time to practise what they are learning. Sometimes pupils are moved on to the next step or a more challenging activity before they are ready. As a result, their knowledge is not as secure as it should be, and this leaves some pupils feeling less confident. The school should ensure that they allow sufficient opportunity for pupils to practise and develop a secure understanding of what they are learning.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

60 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%

67%, 5 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths13%

13%, 5 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score107

107, 1 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score106

106, 1 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score110

110, 5 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

433 pupils on roll, with places for 420

Eligible for free school meals14.3%

14.3%, 12.2 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language9.9%

9.9%, 11.7 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support8.1%

8.1%, 6.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan2.3%

2.3%, 3.7 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near St Mary's Catholic Primary

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Abercrombie Primary School0.3 milesOfsted: Good80% met the expected standard
Brampton Primary School0.5 milesOfsted judgements: Requires improvement to good21% met the expected standard
Christ Church CofE Primary School0.6 milesOfsted: Good73% met the expected standard
Highfield Hall Primary School0.7 milesOfsted: Good43% met the expected standard
Brockwell Junior School0.7 milesOfsted: Good77% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Nicola Brown
Address
Cross Street, Chesterfield, S40 4ST
Local authority
Derbyshire
URN
112898

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.