St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull

Primary school in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. Good (May 2023).

Latest graded inspection

Inspected 17 May 2023, report published 29 June 2023, under the inspection system used from 2019 to 2025.

Good overall. The school was doing well. The most common grade under the previous system. 76% of schools whose latest graded inspection was under this system got Good.

Grades for each area
Area	Grade
Quality of education	Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management	Good
Early years	Good
Safeguarding effective	Yes

These grades come from the system Ofsted replaced in November 2025. They stay on record until the school’s next inspection, when it gets a report card instead. More about the old grades.

Next inspection: around May 2027

The last inspection was in May 2023. Schools are usually inspected about every four years.

An estimate, not an Ofsted date. Ofsted doesn’t publish its schedule and gives schools about a day’s notice. The law says the next inspection must be by August 2028 at the latest, and Ofsted can visit sooner if it has concerns.

Nearby primary schools

0.9 milesSt Gregory's Church of England Primary School, Marnhull
Primary, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Requires improvement (Nov 2022)
1.7 milesStower Provost Community School
Primary, Gillingham, Dorset
No overall grade. Quality of education good (Jun 2025)
3.2 milesStalbridge Church of England Primary School
Primary, Stalbridge, Dorset
School remains Good (Mar 2023)
3.8 milesSt Nicholas CofE Primary School, Henstridge
Primary, Templecombe, Somerset
No overall grade. Quality of education requires improvement (Mar 2025)
3.8 milesWilliam Barnes Primary School
Primary, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
School remains Good (Feb 2023)

Ofsted data as at 30 September 2026, school details from Get Information about Schools, 26 October 2026.