School Chooser

St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw

Primary · ages 3-11MixedChurch of England99 pupilsNurseryBury
School Chooser Score
73
Above
similar schools
Likely range 41 to 90, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 46% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, November 2024
Reached the expected level at 1164%England 63%
Attendance96.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families6%Far fewer than most schools
Places19 spare99 pupils, 118 places
Pupils per teacher24.5School workforce census

St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 99 pupils and room for 118. About 6 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 73 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 46% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, St Mary's CE Primary School, Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury, BL8 4JL01204 886167stmaryshawkshaw.comMrs Amy Longstaff headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 12 November 2024, 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
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

11 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 1164%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level27%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score108.0
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: 64%64%20172018: 87%87%20182019: 93%93%20192023: 76%76%20232024: 83%83%20242025: 64%64%2025
Since 2017: +0%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017BuryEngland
Pupils tested111217141514
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths64%83%76%93%87%64%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths27%17%6%21%7%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score108.0108.0109.0108.0108.0105.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0105.0106.0106.0105.0103.0105.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score109.0107.0108.0108.0108.0104.0105.2105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard91%83%82%93%93%86%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard64%92%88%93%87%79%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)100%100%94%93%93%93%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.4+4.0+3.5+1.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.5+1.7+1.5-0.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged63%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged87%67%

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.

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.

A few spare places98 pupils for 105 places, 2024/25
93% full

About 7 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2025 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 2025. Every child who applied got a place.

EntryApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2025 Primary1111all offeredLA
2024 Primary77all offeredLA
2023 Primary1212all offeredLA
2022 Primary1414all offeredLA
2021 Primary1414all offeredLA

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 roll99Census January 2026
Places11884% full
Pupils from low-income families6%6% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%20 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.84 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)6%£9,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls53 / 46
White British pupils82%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 19.0 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: language and communications needs (8), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), Specific learning difficulty (5), Moderate learning difficulty (4), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll99959798101104
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals6%6%3%5%3%4%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%0%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%10%12%13%9%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%1%0%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school7.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.9%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.7%4.1%3.8%5.5%2.6%3.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.8%2.8%3.0%4.6%2.5%2.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.9%1.3%0.9%0.9%0.1%1.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence7.7%10.6%5.6%14.0%3.2%2.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers4.0full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher24.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants2.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£57,292
Teachers who left in the year16%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher1.32024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,885England £7,738. Total £654k
Income per pupil£6,460England £7,697. Total £614k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,884England £3,480
Money in reserve-10%In the red: -£61k, -£646 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£40kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,885spent 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

Typical house price£248,905Bury
Nearest bus stop60 mWaggon & Horses, 8 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
Holly Mount Roman Catholic Primary School, BuryRoman Catholic0.8 miles233Good 202467Compare
Greenmount Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles229Not inspectedCompare
Holcombe Brook Primary SchoolAcademy1.4 milesNot inspectedCompare
Turton and Edgworth CofE/Methodist Primary SchoolAcademy1.5 milesReport card 2025Compare
Hazlehurst Primary AcademyAcademy1.6 miles156Inadequate 202382Compare
Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.8 miles115Good 202476Compare
Tottington Primary SchoolAcademy1.9 miles319Good 202441Compare
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School Ramsbottom, a Voluntary AcademyAcademy1.9 miles193Good 202355Compare

Compared with schools like it

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

Beats46%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 73 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 17 · middle 74 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 73 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 73% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 41 to 90. 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%above
+0.12
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 11 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
-0.04
Ofsted grade, 1.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
DfE progress measure; 11 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.00
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 91 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.09
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 11 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, Hawkshaw a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw scores 73 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 46% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 41 to 90, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

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

Ofsted rated St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hawkshaw not judged at its last full inspection on 12 November 2024.

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

In summer 2025, 64% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 27% 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, Hawkshaw have?

99 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 118 places, so it is 84% full.

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

Probably not. 7 places were empty in 2024/25 (7% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

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

Pupils were in school 96.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

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

The average class had 24.8 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
Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, St Mary's CE Primary School, Bolton Road, Hawkshaw, Bury, BL8 4JL
Telephone
01204 886167
Website
www.stmaryshawkshaw.com
Headteacher
Mrs Amy Longstaff
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Manchester
Local authority
Bury
Ward
North Manor
Constituency
Bury North
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
105340 · LAESTAB 3513332 · UKPRN 10068692

Where these figures come from