School Chooser

St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedRoman Catholic272 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubLondonLambeth
School Chooser Score
67
Above
similar schools
Likely range 44 to 83, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 69% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, November 2024
Reached the expected level at 1159%England 63%
Attendance95.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families38%Far more than most schools
Places43 spare272 pupils, 315 places
Pupils per teacher20.0School workforce census

St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in London for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 272 pupils and room for 315. About 38 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 67 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 69% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Crescent Lane, Clapham, London, SW4 9QJ020 7622 5479st-marys.lambeth.sch.ukMiss Kelly Doody 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”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1159%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level3%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
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: 63%63%20172018: 75%75%20182019: 69%69%20192023: 67%67%20232024: 77%77%20242025: 59%59%2025
Since 2017: -4%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017LambethEngland
Pupils tested373939394041
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths59%77%67%69%75%63%70%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths3%23%28%26%18%7%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0110.0106.0106.0106.0104.0107.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0107.0108.0108.0107.0104.0106.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.0110.0107.0108.0108.0107.0107.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard81%87%77%77%85%78%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard73%90%90%87%90%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)86%82%77%87%83%76%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.2+3.4+2.9+2.2
Maths progressMaths progress score+3.4+4.1+3.8+2.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged38%75%43%80%77%67%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged71%78%72%63%74%62%

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.

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 4 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

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
38%71%
Gap 33 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
53%67%
Gap 14 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
53%59%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%3%
Gap 3 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 Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places256 pupils for 350 places, 2024/25
73% full

94 places were empty (27% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 13% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 0.7 miles away in 2026. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

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. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 0.7 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30740.7 milesLA
2025 Primary4589all offeredLA

What a home within 0.7 miles of the school costs

Typical sale price within 0.7 miles of the school£630,000half sold for £480k to £925k
Homes sold1,166December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district+15%a typical home in the district sells for £545,625

Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.

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 roll272Census January 2026
Places31586% full
Pupils from low-income families36%38% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English75%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%37 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%13 pupils with a plan
Average class size22.99 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)41%£158,100 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls133 / 139
White British pupils6%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 17.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 26.4 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (22), emotional and mental health (17), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Hearing impairment (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll272291318313318318
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals36%34%31%28%27%23%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language75%77%53%58%58%59%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%15%13%11%7%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans5%3%3%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school11.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.72024/25, 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 absence5.0%4.4%5.4%4.3%2.6%2.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.4%3.7%4.6%3.8%2.3%2.4%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.7%0.7%0.8%0.5%0.4%0.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence11.8%10.3%13.3%10.5%4.8%4.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.72.22.91.60.6
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers13.4full-time equivalent, 15 people
Pupils per teacher20.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers93%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£62,824
Teachers who left in the year22%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.12024/25

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£9,403England £7,738. Total £2.7m
Income per pupil£9,322England £7,697. Total £2.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£4,262England £3,480
Money in reserve-4%In the red: -£111k, -£386 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£23kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£9,403spent 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 m2,37312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate233 per 1,000 people156% higher than the England average
Typical house price£545,000Lambeth
Nearest bus stop200 mClapham Common, 16 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
Clapham Manor Primary SchoolCouncil590 m377Good 202263Compare
Bonneville Primary SchoolCouncil670 m372Outstanding 202499Compare
Iqra Primary SchoolMuslim710 m235Outstanding 202499Compare
Glenbrook Primary SchoolCouncil800 m153Report card 202679Compare
Macaulay Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England820 m176Good 202359Compare
Belleville Wix AcademyAcademy0.7 miles309Good 201985Compare
Heathbrook Primary SchoolCouncil0.8 miles339Not inspected76Compare
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles404Outstanding 202499Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary 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.

Beats69%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 67 is 15 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 9 · middle 52 · highest 98100

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 Roman Catholic 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.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
The Orchard SchoolMuslim1.3 miles207Not inspected84Compare
St Mark's Primary SchoolCouncil3.8 miles225No overall grade 202497Compare
Christ Church Bentinck CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England4.5 miles218Outstanding 202496Compare
St Mary's Lewisham Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England5.3 miles231Report card 202678Compare
Ranelagh Primary SchoolAcademy8.1 miles263No overall grade 202591Compare
Kaizen Primary SchoolAcademy8.3 miles419Outstanding 202498Compare
Springfield Community Primary SchoolCouncil8.7 miles216Outstanding 202384Compare
Thomas Gamuel Primary SchoolAcademy9.5 miles338Report card 202690Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 67 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 67% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 44 to 83. 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
+0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 37 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.09
Ofsted grade, 1.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.14
DfE progress measure; 37 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.19
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.01
2024/25; 246 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 37 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 Roman Catholic Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School scores 67 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 69% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 44 to 83, 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 Roman Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 12 November 2024.

How good are St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 59% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School have?

272 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 315 places, so it is 86% full.

Is St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 0.7 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 12% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 22.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Mary's Roman Catholic 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
Crescent Lane, Clapham, London, SW4 9QJ
Telephone
020 7622 5479
Website
www.st-marys.lambeth.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Kelly Doody
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
Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Southwark
Local authority
Lambeth
Ward
Clapham East
Constituency
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
100636 · LAESTAB 2085208 · UKPRN 10075979

Where these figures come from