School Chooser

St Mary's Church of England School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademyChurch of England448 pupilsNurseryAylesburyBuckinghamshire
School Chooser Score
48
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 29 to 67
Out of 100. Better than 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance95.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families10%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull448 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher24.4School workforce census

St Mary's Church of England School is a converter academy in Aylesbury for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 448 pupils, 28 more than it has places for. About 10 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 48 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Keen Close, Fairford Leys, Aylesbury, HP19 7WF01296 482094st-marysaylesbury.bucks.sch.ukMrs Lisa Bennett headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 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

58 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1157%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level12%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 66%66%20172018: 65%65%20182019: 82%82%20192023: 65%65%20232024: 58%58%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: -9%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†BuckinghamshireEngland
Pupils tested585962616059
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%58%65%82%65%66%67%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths12%5%6%16%12%12%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0106.0106.0108.0107.0107.0107.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0105.0108.0105.0106.0105.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0105.0105.0110.0106.0107.0106.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard79%81%77%92%78%83%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard76%71%73%89%73%76%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)64%64%74%87%83%81%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.2+1.1-1.5+0.6
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.3+0.2-2.3-0.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged44%50%38%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged59%58%69%

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 School, the school this one replaced in April 2020. 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. 2 of the 4 gaps are 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 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
44%59%
Gap 15 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
60%55%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
64%57%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%12%
Gap 12 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.

Nearly full419 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
100% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have fallen by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

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.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary45all offeredLA
2025 Primary45all offeredLA
2024 Primary45106all offeredLA
2023 Primaryall offeredLA
2022 Primaryall 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 roll448Census January 2026
Places420107% full
Pupils from low-income families10%10% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English20%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support13%59 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%12 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.812 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils17%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)10%£63,550 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls233 / 215
White British pupils57%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (23), emotional and mental health (15), Autistic spectrum disorder (14), Specific learning difficulty (9), Other difficulty or disability (3), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll448448456455482486
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals10%11%9%7%6%7%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language20%20%18%16%16%18%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%13%11%12%9%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%2%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school8.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.22024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.5%5.8%4.6%5.8%2.4%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.7%4.6%3.7%5.0%1.9%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.8%1.2%0.9%0.8%0.6%0.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence8.6%13.5%10.2%15.2%3.0%2.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.25.73.10.80.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

† These attendance figures are for St Mary's Church of England School, the school this one replaced in April 2020. 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.

Teachers18.1full-time equivalent, 20 people
Pupils per teacher24.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers85%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants22.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£44,954
Teachers who left in the year12%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies1
Sick days per teacher3.62024/25

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£5,443England £7,128. Total £2.4m
Income per pupil£5,808England £7,587. Total £2.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,471England £3,405
Money in reserve27%A lot put by: £697k, £1,577 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£161kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,443spent 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 m25012 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate70 per 1,000 people23% lower than the England average
Typical house price£455,000Buckinghamshire
Nearest bus stop100 mGriffin Lane Roundabout, 24 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
Bearbrook Combined SchoolAcademy740 m498Good 202320Compare
Haydon Abbey School and Pre-SchoolCouncil0.7 miles537Requires improvement 20244Compare
Thomas Hickman SchoolCouncil0.8 miles500Good 201917Compare
Oak Green SchoolCouncil0.9 miles705No overall grade 202510Compare
Elmhurst SchoolAcademy1.2 miles468Report card 202615Compare
Ashmead Combined SchoolAcademy1.3 miles707Good 202074Compare
Stone Church of England Combined SchoolChurch of England1.3 miles203Not inspected38Compare
Buckingham Park Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England1.4 miles447Good 202346Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Mary's Church of England School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats16%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 48 is 32 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 7 · middle 81 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Mary's Church of England 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.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Bierton Church of England Combined SchoolChurch of England2.3 miles419Not inspected62Compare
Bedgrove Junior SchoolAcademy2.5 miles479Good 202359Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 48 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 48% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 29 to 67. 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
+0.05
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 58 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.04
DfE progress measure; 58 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.02
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 374 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 58 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 School a good school?

It is about average. St Mary's Church of England School scores 48 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 29 to 67, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

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

Ofsted rated St Mary's Church of England School not judged at its last full inspection on 28 January 2025.

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

In summer 2025, 57% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 12% went further and reached the higher level.

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

448 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 107% full.

Is St Mary's Church of England School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

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

Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

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

The average class had 29.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 17% 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
Keen Close, Fairford Leys, Aylesbury, HP19 7WF
Telephone
01296 482094
Website
www.st-marysaylesbury.bucks.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lisa Bennett
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Oxford
Multi-academy trust
Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust (15 schools)
Local authority
Buckinghamshire
Ward
Aylesbury West
Constituency
Aylesbury
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2020 (academy converter)
URN
147876 · LAESTAB 8253020 · UKPRN 10085853
Formerly
St Mary's Church of England School

Where these figures come from