Schools by area › County Durham › St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Birch Road, Barnard Castle DL12 8JR · stmarysbc.bhcet.org.uk · 01833 637029
On the mapSearch near DL12 8JR
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2019
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 81%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. County Durham 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 103
- 98% of 105 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 21.8%
- First language not English
- 3.9%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 11 families put the school first and 14 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 | 14 | 11 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 13 | 12 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 9 | 8 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 31% the higher standard. Across County Durham it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲81% | 62% | ||
| ▲31% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲111 | 106 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114261)
Ofsted
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 27 November 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Nov 2024 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 12 Nov 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114261), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114261)
Before September 2019
Oct 2012Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114261)
Nov 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114261)
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (32 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Replies
- 32
- 32% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 53% who raised concerns
based on the 16% who had a child bullied