Description
St. Mary’s is a thriving, church primary school in the small rural town of Burnham-on-Crouch. We have two reception classes and one class per year group from years 1-6. We have a maximum of 240 pupils on roll, which means that everyone knows each other and there is a real family atmosphere and nurturing approach. Our Church School Inspection in January 2020 said, "St Mary’s School is a supportive family who work as a team every day. It is a very caring and kind community where everyone works towards the same goal."
The school has attractive and spacious grounds, with a good sized playground, spiritual garden, large field and its own swimming pool. We also have a well equipped computer suite, laptops and good IT provision throughout the school.
Our children are happy, confident and hardworking. They respond well to their teachers and get on with each other. In September 2022 Ofsted said, "Pupils at St Mary’s Church of England school are happy and appreciate their teachers. They enjoy the ambitious curriculum and work that is set for them. Pupils strive to do their best." This means that working here is a very rewarding experience.
Our parents/carers are very supportive and keen to participate in school life. Some parents/carers volunteer to help at school with various activities. We are fortunate to have an active Parents' Teachers' and Friends' Association which helps us in many ways, including fundraising for the school. Ofsted noted that, "Parents are appreciative of the commitment from staff and leaders. As a result, a number of parents commented positively on the support their children had received."
We have an inclusive Christian ethos and good links with our local community. This supports very good behaviour, social and emotional development throughout the school. We were graded as good in all areas of our Church School Inspection, which said, "Inspired by their vision and values, collaboration is a way of life at St Mary’s," going on to say that, "High expectations and aspirational targets within a nurturing environment enable all to achieve their best .... because everyone feels they belong and are part of this Christian community and are fully supported to grow in self-belief and confidence." This view was further supported by Ofsted, who said that, "Pupils behave well and show respect through their understanding of each other’s differences."
We follow an exciting curriculum, which uses a cross curricular approach. We are extremely proud to have been re-accredited with the full International School Award in 2023, which greatly enriches life at St. Mary's and our participation in a range of international projects and activities is an integral aspect of school life.
We are very proud of our school and our strong, successful team.