St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Buckfast

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 February 2026

Pupils feel safe and happy in school. They behave kindly towards one another. Pupils, parents and carers value the warm welcome staff provide each morning. During social times, pupils play cooperatively and older pupils model the school’s values of ‘build, nurture, respect and love unconditionally’. They also serve as ‘play leaders’, helping younger pupils take part in a range of games. Bullying is rare and leaders act swiftly if it occurs. Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in generally positive attendance rates over time. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs identified quickly and leaders put personalised support in place. The quality of curriculum and teaching across the school varies too much. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should because staff do not hold high enough expectations of pupils’ work or behaviour in lessons. Teachers' checks on pupils' learning and their feedback to pupils about what to do to improve, do not reliably help pupils to address gaps in their knowledge and correct misconceptions. Although leaders are beginning to make notable improvements, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they need to be. Children in the early years make a secure start to school life. They are nurtured by staff and their individual needs are met well. Children settle quickly into the school's Nursery and Reception provisions. They are enthusiastic learners who establish the knowledge and skills they need for later learning. Pupils' personal development and wellbeing is central to the school's work. Trips, such as to local farms, help pupils appreciate their local community and strengthen their geographical understanding. Pupils enjoy performing in the school choir and singing at events, such as the Christmas fayre. These opportunities enable pupils to develop new skills and build their confidence.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that assessment and feedback are used consistently well to support teachers to design learning activities that build on what pupils know and can do.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need, particularly in relation to their handwriting, spelling and grammar, so that they are able to produce work of a consistently high quality.
• Leaders, including governors and trust leaders, should ensure that there is robust oversight of the actions they take to improve the school so that areas that need attention are promptly identified and addressed.
• Leaders should ensure they support staff to consistently implement the behaviour policy, so that pupils develop appropriate learning behaviours.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)