School Chooser

St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England104 pupilsLutterworthLeicestershire
School Chooser Score
55
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 23 to 82, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 33% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1156%England 63%
Attendance96.1%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families6%Far fewer than most schools
Places1 spare104 pupils, 105 places
Pupils per teacher20.4School workforce census

St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell is a converter academy in Lutterworth for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 104 pupils and room for 105. About 6 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 55 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

The Green, Bitteswell, Lutterworth, LE17 4SB01455 552818stmarysbitteswell.ukMrs Hayley Cupit headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 7 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

18 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1156%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 88%88%20182019: 75%75%20192023: 69%69%20232024: 67%67%20242025: 56%56%2025
Since 2017: -11%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†LeicestershireEngland
Pupils tested181213161715
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths56%67%69%75%88%67%63%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%8%0%12%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0107.0109.0109.0108.0110.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0102.0105.0108.0107.0107.0104.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score107.0104.0107.0109.0107.0106.0105.6105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard89%83%100%88%88%80%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard67%67%77%94%94%80%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)67%75%77%75%88%73%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.1+2.7+0.5+2.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.1+0.5-0.4+0.2

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 Bitteswell, the school this one replaced in July 2017. 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. Every gap at this school 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

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
55%57%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Full106 pupils for 105 places, 2024/25
101% full

The school is full, with 1 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Leicestershire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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.

Pupils on roll104Census January 2026
Places10599% full
Pupils from low-income families6%6% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English8%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support15%16 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan9%9 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.04 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils25%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)7%£10,850 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls52 / 52
White British pupils83%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 15.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (5), Specific learning difficulty (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), emotional and mental health (4), language and communications needs (4), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll104106106102104107
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals6%8%7%5%7%4%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language8%7%6%5%4%5%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%18%26%17%12%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%6%4%4%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.1%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school6.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.72024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.9%4.3%6.0%6.9%2.6%3.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.2%3.7%4.9%5.9%1.9%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.6%1.2%1.1%0.7%0.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence6.3%5.3%12.1%15.1%4.3%3.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.74.72.04.82.8
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers5.1full-time equivalent, 7 people
Pupils per teacher20.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£54,179
Teachers who left in the year41%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher6.32024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£6,236England £7,128. Total £661k
Income per pupil£7,557England £7,587. Total £801k
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,943England £3,405
Money in reserve8%A healthy amount put by: £66k, £620 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£140kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,236spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m2812 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate46 per 1,000 people50% lower than the England average
Typical house price£337,000Harborough
Nearest bus stop110 mThe Green, 2 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Sherrier Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy950 m414Good 202378Compare
John Wycliffe Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles315Good 202312Compare
Ullesthorpe Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.1 miles99Report card 202648Compare
Gilmorton Chandler Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.5 miles219Good 202070Compare
Claybrooke Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles64Good 202353Compare
Dunton Bassett Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles54Good 202425Compare
Hallbrook Primary SchoolAcademy3.7 miles189Report card 202636Compare
Old Mill Primary SchoolAcademy4.3 miles367Report card 202558Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell 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.

Beats33%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 55 is 9 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 17 · middle 63 · highest 94100

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, Bitteswell, 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.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolChurch of England11.3 miles93Good 202281Compare
Guilsborough Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy11.6 miles95Good 202268Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 55 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 55% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 23 to 82. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.03
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 18 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.07
DfE progress measure; 18 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.10
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 95 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 18 pupils
What parents say0%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, Bitteswell a good school?

It is about average. St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell scores 55 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 23 to 82, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell not judged at its last full inspection on 7 January 2025.

How good are St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell have?

104 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 105 places, so it is 99% full.

Is St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 1 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell?

Pupils were in school 96.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bitteswell?

The average class had 26.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 25% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
The Green, Bitteswell, Lutterworth, LE17 4SB
Telephone
01455 552818
Website
www.stmarysbitteswell.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Hayley Cupit
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Leicester
Multi-academy trust
Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust (9 schools)
Local authority
Leicestershire
Ward
Ullesthorpe
Constituency
South Leicestershire
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 July 2017 (academy converter)
URN
144116 · LAESTAB 8553302 · UKPRN 10063990
Formerly
St Mary's Church of England Primary School Bitteswell

Where these figures come from