St Mary's CofE Primary School
Court Orchard, Fownhope, Hereford, HR1 4PGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's CofE Primary School is a primary school in Hereford for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 112 schools in Herefordshire. It ranks 36th of 37 primary schools in Hereford. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in May 2026.
Ofsted report card
Inspected 19 May 2026, report published 18 June 2026
Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.
- Inclusion
- Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching
- Needs attention
- Achievement
- Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour
- Expected standard
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Expected standard
- Leadership and governance
- Needs attention
- Early years
- Expected standard
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 19 May 2026
Pupils enjoy attending this caring village school. They start the day with smiles on their faces and are greeted by staff who know them well. This helps pupils to feel valued and secure. Many feel a deep connection to the school and see it as being at the heart of their community. This is boosting their sense of belonging and confidence. Pupils attend regularly and take an active part in school activities. Pupils benefit from a community that promotes kindness and care through its Christian ethos. Pupils typically live out these values through their daily actions. They look after each other and form positive friendships. Pupils with barriers to learning are supported well by staff who help them to take a full part in school life. This makes the school a happy and harmonious place. Pupils understand the school’s rules and routines. They generally behave well and speak positively about their experiences. Most pupils have never experienced bullying. They are confident that staff deal with incidents quickly when they happen. This helps pupils feel safe at school. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Classrooms are lively and pupils generally enjoy learning. However, pupils do not learn as well as they should. They do not build secure knowledge in subjects like English and mathematics. This means that they have gaps in their learning which limits their achievement. Pupils participate in various experiences that broaden their interests and horizons. These include attending school clubs, taking part in local festivals and visiting other parts of the country on residential trips. These opportunities are helping pupils develop their independence and teamwork, while also developing their understanding of other cultures, communities and life beyond the local village.
What the school should improve
- Leaders should ensure that teaching prioritises the foundations of reading, spelling, handwriting and mathematics so that pupils develop secure knowledge that prepares them for future learning.
- Leaders should ensure that checks on pupils’ learning are more precise and focus on identifying and addressing pupils' errors and misconceptions promptly.
- Leaders should strengthen the quality of monitoring arrangements so that actions to improve the curriculum lead to more rapid and sustained improvements in pupils’ academic outcomes.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
13 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
84 pupils on roll, with places for 120
Schools near St Mary's CofE Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mordiford CofE Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Little Dewchurch CofE Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 89% met the expected standard |
| King's Caple Primary Academy | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Not published |
| Lugwardine Primary Academy | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
| St Paul's CofE Primary School | 5 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 63% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Timothy Milne
- Phone
- 01432860474
- Address
- Court Orchard, Fownhope, Hereford, HR1 4PG
- Local authority
- Herefordshire
- URN
- 116880
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.