Schools by area › County Durham › St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School
St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Academy
Dene House Road, St. Mary Magdalene RC Primary School, Dene House Road, SEAHAM SR7 7BJ · st-marymagdalens.durham.sch.uk · 0191 581 3055
Overview
- Ofsted
- Improved significantly
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 76%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. County Durham 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 308
- 98% of 315 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 13%
- First language not English
- 1.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 28 families put the school first and 28 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 | 28 | 28 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 45 | 44 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 40 | 40 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 44 | 44 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 38 | 38 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 76% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 14% 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 | |||
| ▲76% | 62% | ||
| ▲14% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●108 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ▲108 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114236)
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 12 March 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School was: Improved significantly.
- Outcome
- Improved significantly
- Inspected
- 11 Mar 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jan 2013
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114236), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Nov 2017Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114236)
Jan 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114236)
Mar 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114236)
What parents said
98% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (51 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 98%
- Replies
- 51
- 17% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 69% who raised concerns
based on the 20% who had a child bullied