Schools by area › Devon › St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Buckfast
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Buckfast
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Buckfast Road, Buckfast, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EA · st-marysrc.devon.sch.uk · 01364 642389
On the mapSearch near TQ11 0EA
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Feb 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 61%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Devon 59%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Devon Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 168
- 58 over 110 places · 153%
- Local authority
- Devon
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 31.4%
- First language not English
- 0%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Plymouth Cast
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Devon Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 26 families put the school first and 26 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 26 | 26 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 19 | 18 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 27 | 27 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Devon it was 59%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ●61% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●104 | 106 | ||
| ▼100 | 105 | ||
| ▼102 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Buckfast on 3 February 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 3 Feb 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Nov 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2021Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective May 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (65 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Positive
- 78%
- Replies
- 65
- 40% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 91% who raised concerns
based on 15 parents (23%) whose child was bullied
based on 15 parents (23%) with SEND