Schools by area › Dorset › St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery
St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–9 · Academy
Station Road, West Moors, Ferndown BH22 0JF · stmaryswestmoors.org · 01202 874838
On the mapSearch near BH22 0JF
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Apr 2025
- Last distance offered
- 1.47 mi
- 2.37 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Dorset Council
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 148
- 80% of 184 places
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 16.6%
- First language not English
- 5.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 1.47 mi (2.37 km) from the school. Source: Dorset Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 32 families put the school first and 29 places were offered; 91% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 29 | 32 | 1.1▲ | 91% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 21 | 16 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 27 | 19 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 37 | 1.2▲ | 81% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.47 mi2.37 km | |
The last place was offered to a child in this criterion, at this distance (the council's sheet for the school).
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery on 23 April 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 23 Apr 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Oct 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Oct 2023Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Mar 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Mar 2011Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Sept 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
95% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (42 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 95%
- Replies
- 42
- 31% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 74% who raised concerns
based on the 17% who had a child bullied