St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Junior School
Heath Drive, Ware, SG12 0RLOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Junior School is a primary school in Ware for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 583 schools in Hertfordshire. It ranks 8th of 13 primary schools in Ware. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 3 July 2023, report published 24 September 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 3 July 2023
Pupils enjoy attending this warm and friendly junior school. They settle quickly into school life because the teachers ensure that they understand all the rules and routines. Pupils are keen to talk about their learning, and they have a good work ethic. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of teachers, and they behave well in and around the school. This means that pupils feel safe. If bullying occurs, pupils know that adults will help them to sort it out. Pupils love all the interesting subjects they learn, and leaders ensure that the curriculum is broad. This means that pupils can develop all their interests and are well prepared for secondary school. Sports and keeping healthy are whole-school priorities. Pupils regularly run a mile and learn about the appropriate food groups to help improve their stamina. Pupils can hold a range of leadership roles. They carry these out with responsible attitudes and a great deal of enthusiasm. Pupils are very clear about the fact that they learn to accept everyone. Pupils learn that 'we have more in common with others than what sets us apart.' This helps them to understand and connect with all others.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, leaders' statements of what they want pupils to learn are broad. This means that non-subject specialist teachers find it hard to plan the exact small steps of knowledge that pupils need to learn, and their assessments do not have the detailed information teachers need in order to change and adapt what they teach when appropriate.
- Some pupils with SEND do not have clear targets that link to their specific area of need. This means that this important information cannot be shared, and tracking each pupil's progress is difficult. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils with SEND have separate and specific targets that can be used to help maximise their learning.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
60 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
231 pupils on roll, with places for 240
Schools near St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Junior School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingshill Infant School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Christ Church CofE (VA) Primary School and Nursery | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 54% met the expected standard |
| St Catherine's Church of England Primary School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 56% met the expected standard |
| Priors Wood Primary School | 0.8 miles | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | 48% met the expected standard |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 68% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 7 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Hannah Orton
- Phone
- 01920463641
- Address
- Heath Drive, Ware, SG12 0RL
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- URN
- 117409
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.