Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School
High Street, Swanage, BH19 2PHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Swanage for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. It ranks 46th of 88 primary schools in Dorset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 22 May 2018, report published 5 July 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 16 April 2024
Swanage St Mark's is a happy, nurturing and vibrant school where pupils' well-being and personal development underpin everything. Children thrive when they join in the early years and, for the pupils who join the school at other times, staff ensure they quickly become settled. Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are polite, kind and respectful towards one another and staff. They have absolute confidence that staff will help them to learn well and will listen to them when they need support. Pupils love reading. Children in Reception enjoy immersing themselves in books and listening to stories throughout the day. As pupils get older, they continue to read to adults almost every day. Listening to stories while enjoying toast is a highlight of many pupils' days. The curriculum is well planned. Staff are knowledgeable and pupils enjoy their lessons. Pupils feel part of their wider community. They are proud of their school and are motivated to learn. They enjoy a wide range of additional activities on offer. The school is proud of its commitment to competitive sports, for example. The school works effectively with families and other community groups to enable pupils to develop their talents and interests.
What the school should improve
- The implementation of the curriculum in a few areas is less effective than in others. For example, activity choices are not always closely matched to the intended learning outcome, or challenging reading is not always appropriately scaffolded. This means that pupils do not always learn what has been identified in the curriculum. The trust must ensure that leadership at all levels is able to check the effectiveness of the curriculum so all pupils learn what is intended.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
29 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
89 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
| Swanage Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 47% met the expected standard |
| St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
| Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
| Lilliput Church of England Infant School | 7 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- COASTAL LEARNING PARTNERSHIP
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Katherine Astle
- Phone
- 01929422949
- Address
- High Street, Swanage, BH19 2PH
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 142165
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.