School Chooser

St Thomas More RC Primary School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic210 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubMiddlesbrough
School Chooser Score
13
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 29, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 10% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, February 2024
Reached the expected level at 1133%England 63%
Attendance93.9%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families34%A bit more than most schools
PlacesFull210 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher17.1School workforce census

St Thomas More RC Primary School is a converter academy in Middlesbrough for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 210 pupils and every place is taken. About 34 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 13 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 10% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Erith Grove, Easterside, Middlesbrough, TS4 3QH01642 317350stm.npcat.org.ukMrs Lucy Smith headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 20 February 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

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

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

Reached the expected level at 1133%
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 score101.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 63%63%20182019: 81%81%20192023: 54%54%20232024: 47%47%20242025: 33%33%2025
Since 2017: -34%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017MiddlesbroughEngland
Pupils tested273028162421
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths33%47%54%81%63%67%65%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%13%0%0%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score101.0104.0105.0106.0105.0103.0105.3105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0102.0102.0106.0102.0102.0105.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score100.0103.0104.0108.0106.0105.0104.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard52%67%82%88%75%76%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard52%73%68%88%63%71%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)44%60%64%88%75%71%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.8+2.0-0.7+1.0
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.1+0.8-2.0-0.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged27%29%63%67%40%54%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged42%63%42%100%79%88%

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. 2 of the 3 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
27%42%
Gap 15 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
23%43%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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.

A few spare places186 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
89% full

About 24 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 620 m 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 620 m from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary3030620 mLA
2024 Primary3017all offeredLA
2023 Primary3020all offeredLA
2022 Primary3020all offeredLA

What a home within 620 m of the school costs

Typical sale price within 620 m of the school£145,000half sold for £107k to £187k
Homes sold86December 2023 to December 2025, Land Registry
Compared with the district-6%a typical home in the district sells for £155,000

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 roll210Census January 2026
Places210100% full
Pupils from low-income families31%34% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English19%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%30 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%2 pupils with a plan
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)36%£99,200 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls101 / 109
White British pupils52%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (9), language and communications needs (8), emotional and mental health (6), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (4), Multi-sensory impairment (2), Autistic spectrum disorder (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll210194203200203216
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals31%38%38%38%39%34%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language19%15%15%11%12%9%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%12%10%12%16%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%3%4%1%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.9%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school25.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils11.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission4.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.2%6.2%6.4%6.7%4.8%5.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.0%2.3%3.0%3.4%2.5%3.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence4.2%3.9%3.4%3.3%2.3%1.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence25.1%18.6%20.1%21.5%14.0%13.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate11.99.99.58.914.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers11.7full-time equivalent, 14 people
Pupils per teacher17.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,175
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.62024/25

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£7,074England £7,128. Total £1.3m
Income per pupil£8,074England £7,587. Total £1.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,905England £3,405
Money in reserve8%A healthy amount put by: £124k, £655 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£190kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,074spent 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 m47812 months to June 2026, mostly shoplifting
Local crime rate129 per 1,000 people42% higher than the England average
Typical house price£155,000Middlesbrough
Nearest bus stop100 mSt Thomas More School, 13 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
Easterside AcademyAcademy120 m296Good 202244Compare
Marton Manor Primary SchoolAcademy830 m229No overall grade 202564Compare
Newham Bridge Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles321Not inspected93Compare
Sunnyside AcademyAcademy1.0 miles268Good 202311Compare
Captain Cook Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles415Good 202288Compare
Beech Grove Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles402Not inspected92Compare
Park End Primary SchoolCouncil1.1 miles608Good 202215Compare
St Pius X Catholic Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary AcademyAcademy1.2 miles194Good 202316Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Thomas More RC Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats10%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 13 is 31 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 44 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Thomas More RC 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
St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, HartlepoolAcademy9.1 miles236Good 202466Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 13 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 13% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 29. 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%below
-0.19
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 27 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.01
DfE progress measure; 27 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.15
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.11
2024/25; 175 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.13
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 27 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 Thomas More RC Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Thomas More RC Primary School scores 13 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 10% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 29, 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 Thomas More RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Thomas More RC Primary School good at its last full inspection on 20 February 2024.

How good are St Thomas More RC Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 33% 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.

How many pupils does St Thomas More RC Primary School have?

210 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 100% full.

Is St Thomas More RC Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 620 m 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 Thomas More RC Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 25% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

Does St Thomas More RC 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
Erith Grove, Easterside, Middlesbrough, TS4 3QH
Telephone
01642 317350
Website
stm.npcat.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lucy Smith
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 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Middlesbrough
Multi-academy trust
Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (38 schools)
Local authority
Middlesbrough
Ward
Ladgate
Constituency
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2015 (academy converter)
URN
142376 · LAESTAB 8063348 · UKPRN 10054187
Formerly
St Thomas More RC Primary School

Where these figures come from