St Mary's Church of England Primary School
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St Mary's Church of England Primary School is a converter academy in Runcorn for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 184 pupils and room for 245. About 47 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 36 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 61% of the 50 schools most like it.
Castlefields Avenue South, Runcorn, WA7 2NR01928 565995st-marys.halton.sch.ukMrs Rachel Tainsh headteacherAll details
Ofsted
Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet. That is normal for a school that opened in 2024: new schools usually get their first inspection within three years.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
24 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024† | 2023† | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Halton | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 24 | 27 | 31 | 35 | 34 | 30 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 58% | 48% | 58% | 63% | 62% | 60% | 60% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 9% | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 102.0 | 104.7 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 102.0 | 102.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 103.1 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 104.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 83% | 67% | 77% | 74% | 76% | 63% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 71% | 67% | 58% | 69% | 74% | 83% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 71% | 59% | 68% | 80% | 76% | 80% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.3 | +0.3 | -0.3 | -2.3 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -1.3 | -2.0 | -1.5 | +0.2 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 25% | 23% | 60% | 36% | 46% | 60% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 75% | 71% | 56% | 75% | 71% | 60% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for St Mary's Church of England Primary School, the school this one replaced in July 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
57 places were empty (23% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.
In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (22 offers for 35 places).
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.5 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (27), emotional and mental health (14), Other difficulty or disability (6), Specific learning difficulty (3), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Moderate learning difficulty (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 184 | 190 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 47% | 43% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 3% | 2% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 28% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24† | 2022/23† | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 6.2% | 6.8% | 7.0% | 7.8% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 3.1% | 3.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.1% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.3% | 23.4% | 22.8% | 27.6% | 11.5% | 8.2% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for St Mary's Church of England Primary School, the school this one replaced in July 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Brow Community Primary School | Council | 580 m | 136 | Good 2022 | 6 | Compare |
| Bridgewater Park Primary School | Academy | 650 m | 91 | Report card 2026 | 6 | Compare |
| St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy | Academy | 930 m | 168 | Good 2023 | 33 | Compare |
| Astmoor Primary School | Council | 940 m | 144 | No overall grade 2024 | 12 | Compare |
| Palace Fields Primary Academy | Academy | 990 m | 127 | Not inspected | 38 | Compare |
| Castle View Primary School | Council | 0.7 miles | 176 | Good 2022 | 88 | Compare |
| Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 0.7 miles | 178 | Report card 2026 | 77 | Compare |
| The Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 0.7 miles | 75 | Good 2024 | 13 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Mary's Church of England Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Mary's Church of England Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Theresa's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 6.1 miles | 209 | Report card 2026 | 50 | Compare |
| Grange Community Nursery and Primary School | Academy | 11.4 miles | 218 | Good 2023 | 61 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 36 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 36% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 10 to 77. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | below | -0.19 | 2025 results; 24 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 0% | no data | – | |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.10 | Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 24 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.13 | 2024/25; 163 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | +0.05 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 24 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is St Mary's Church of England Primary School a good school?
It is about average. St Mary's Church of England Primary School scores 36 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 61% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 10 to 77, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
How good are St Mary's Church of England Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 58% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Mary's Church of England Primary School have?
184 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 245 places, so it is 75% full.
Is St Mary's Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 57 places were empty in 2024/25 (23% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Church of England Primary School?
Pupils were in school 93.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 20% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Church of England Primary School?
The average class had 25.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does St Mary's Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Castlefields Avenue South, Runcorn, WA7 2NR
- Telephone
- 01928 565995
- Website
- st-marys.halton.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachel Tainsh
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Chester
- Multi-academy trust
- Chester Diocesan Academies Trust (32 schools)
- Local authority
- Halton
- Ward
- Halton Castle
- Constituency
- Runcorn and Helsby
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 July 2024 (academy converter)
- URN
- 150879 · LAESTAB 8763506 · UKPRN 10095240
- Formerly
- St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Halton council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2024, 2026.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.