St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Tilbury Review 2026: Faith-led primary with exceptionally strong KS2 outcomes

Respect is the organising principle here, not just a behaviour policy slogan. The school’s mission statement, “Respect Ourselves, Respect Others, Respect our World, Love God”, runs through daily routines and collective worship, giving the place a clear Catholic identity while serving the wider Tilbury community.

Academically, the headline is the 2024 Key Stage 2 picture. Results are strikingly high across reading, writing and mathematics, and the school’s FindMySchool ranking (based on official data) places it well above the England average. With Nursery included and a published school day running 08:50 to 15:15, it suits families who value consistency and strong routines.

Admission remains competitive. The latest Reception admissions snapshot shows more than two applications per place, and the school’s Catholic oversubscription criteria mean supplementary forms and faith evidence can matter for some applicants.

Catholic life is not bolted on. The Gospel is presented as central to how pupils are taught to treat each other, and the language of respect is used as a shared reference point across year groups.

There is also a sense of continuity. The school describes a long connection with the parish church (Our Lady Star of the Sea) and with the Sisters of Mercy, whose convent adjoins the site and who built the original school in 1887. That heritage shapes identity more than architecture; it signals that the school understands itself as part of a local Catholic ecosystem, not an institution operating in isolation.

Leadership is clearly visible to families through regular communication and the way priorities are expressed. Mrs Victoria McBrown is named as headteacher, and the school is part of Christus Catholic Trust, a small Catholic primary trust, which can help with staff development and curriculum alignment across schools.

Daily worship has a defined rhythm. The school publishes a weekly pattern that includes musical worship and regular celebrations, which gives pupils routine and a sense of participation rather than passive attendance.

Because the school has Nursery provision, the tone needs to work for children as young as three as well as Year 6 pupils preparing for secondary transfer. Early years practice is described as focused on communication and language development, with staff identifying pupils who need extra help early and bringing in external professional advice where needed.

The 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes are the standout evidence point for families comparing local primaries.

Combined reading, writing and mathematics (expected standard)

95.33% in 2024, compared with the England average of 62%. This is a very large gap in a metric that tends to be hard to move. (Figures are the school’s published KS2 outcomes as reflected in the FindMySchool dataset, with England average shown for context.)

Higher standard (combined reading, writing and mathematics)

42.33% in 2024, compared with the England average of 8%. This indicates not only secure basics but a substantial proportion working well beyond them.

Subject markers (2024)

• Reading expected standard: 100%

• Mathematics expected standard: 93%

• Grammar, punctuation and spelling expected standard: 97%

• Science expected standard: 93%

Scaled scores are also high: Reading 110, Mathematics 108, and Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling 112.

Rankings context

Ranked 432nd in England and 1st in Tilbury for primary outcomes in the FindMySchool rankings (based on official data). That England position is around the top 3% of ranked primaries, which is comfortably within the “top 10%” bracket parents typically think of as high-performing. (Rank: 432 out of 15,158.)

The practical implication is that pupils here, on average, are leaving Year 6 with very secure literacy and numeracy foundations, which tends to make secondary transition smoother, especially in schools that move quickly through Key Stage 3 content.

Curriculum design is described as deliberate and structured from Nursery to Year 6, with knowledge mapped out by subject and broken into small steps so pupils can build secure understanding over time. A distinctive tool mentioned in the school’s approach is the use of “knowledge passports” and “learning walls” to support recall and help pupils retain key content.

Reading is treated as a whole-school driver. Early reading is systematically taught, with a stated phonics sequence beginning in the second week of Reception and books closely matched to the sounds pupils know, so practice is aligned with teaching rather than guesswork. Daily story time and structured discussion are used to expand vocabulary and encourage pupils to engage with ideas, including moral dilemmas raised by class texts.

In early years, the strongest described practice sits in literacy and mathematics, where learning steps are set out precisely. The improvement priority is to bring that same clarity to other areas of the early years curriculum, so learning is not overly reliant on children’s self-selected activities. Families with younger children should read this as a sign that Reception and Nursery are being actively refined, not as a lack of ambition.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as well-organised, with needs identified accurately and work adapted so pupils can access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. The emphasis is on removing barriers without lowering expectations.

As a state primary, the main “destination” decision point is secondary transfer after Year 6. Families prioritising Catholic secondary education are signposted to a set of named Catholic secondary schools, including Grays Convent High School for Girls and De La Salle School and Language College, among others.

In practice, pupils’ destinations will reflect a mix of faith preference, travel, and local authority admissions rules. The strongest predictor of a smooth transition is that pupils leave Year 6 with secure reading and mathematics, and the 2024 results suggest that is typical here.

For families considering selective routes elsewhere, it is worth noting that the school’s academic outcomes can support high-attaining pupils, but entry to any selective secondary will still depend on that school’s own testing and admissions criteria.

Reception entry is coordinated by Thurrock, with a clearly stated application window for September 2026 entry running 01 November 2025 to 15 January 2026. Those dates are now in the past (today is 26 January 2026), but they give a reliable sense of the annual pattern for future cohorts.

Because this is a Catholic school and its own admissions authority, some families will also need to provide faith documentation. The school states that practising Catholics should supply a Certificate of Catholic Practice, and other applicants may be asked to complete a Supplementary Information Form, which is submitted directly to the school.

Demand is measurable even without catchment distance data. In the latest published Reception admissions snapshot, there were 52 applications for 25 offers, which equates to 2.08 applications per place, and the route is marked as oversubscribed. This is the key practical point for families: admission is plausible, but not automatic, and the category rules matter. (Figures from the FindMySchool dataset.)

The school also publishes an appeals timetable for the 2026 round, with offer notifications shown as 16 April 2026 and a stated deadline for lodging appeals as 20 May 2026.

Nursery admissions are separate from Reception. The school invites families to apply via its Nursery application form and notes the availability of 15 or 30 funded hours for eligible 3 and 4 year olds. Nursery places are not allocated through the same route as Reception, so parents should treat Nursery as its own application decision.

Behaviour is described as calm and respectful, supported by consistent adult expectations and a culture where pupils support each other. The strongest external headline is that Behaviour and Attitudes is graded Outstanding, which typically reflects consistent routines and low-level disruption being well managed.

Safeguarding arrangements are stated as effective, and the school describes an open culture that puts pupils’ interests first.

Pastoral identity is also shaped by the Catholic life programme. Prayer, liturgy, and pupil participation in worship are positioned as central experiences rather than occasional events, which can suit families looking for a faith-grounded approach to moral formation.

Extracurricular choices are best understood in two layers: structured clubs, plus enrichment through music and faith life.

Clubs and activities (examples currently listed)

• Gymnastics (Years 1 to 6)

• Multi-Sports (Years 1 to 6)

• Cinema club (Years 2 to 6)

• Forest School (Years 2 to 6, limited places)

• Football club (Years 3 to 6)

This selection matters because it reflects the school’s practical constraints: it is large enough to run multiple clubs, but not so large that it can offer every niche option every term. The school indicates that club offers can reflect pupil suggestions, which is positive for engagement, but can also mean pupils may not know what they can ask for until leaders broaden the menu.

Music is treated as a cultural thread, not a single weekly lesson. The school’s music development plan describes regular singing and performance opportunities, collaboration with local partners for ukulele, and the Rock Steady Band programme, with termly concerts that the whole school attends. There is also a Key Stage 2 choir that takes part in community-facing events, plus participation in trust-wide music festivals and the Young Voices event for Year 6 at the O2 arena.

Faith life adds further “beyond classroom” structure through collective worship and pupil-led liturgy, giving pupils leadership roles that suit those who gain confidence through public speaking, singing, and service.

The school publishes a clear working day: 08:50 start and 15:15 finish, with scheduled break and lunch times, plus a weekly collective worship pattern.

Wraparound care details are not clearly published as a single offer with hours and pricing, but school documents refer to a breakfast club and there is a separate after-school clubs page. Families who need daily childcare beyond 15:15 should ask directly about availability, booking, and costs, particularly for Nursery and Reception.

For transport, Tilbury Town station is the nearest rail option for many families and sits on the c2c Tilbury Loop, connecting via Barking and Pitsea.

• Admission is competitive. The latest Reception admissions snapshot shows 52 applications for 25 offers, so families should plan for realistic alternatives alongside this preference.

• Faith documentation can be decisive. As a Catholic school and its own admissions authority, supplementary forms and a Certificate of Catholic Practice are part of the process for some applicants, which can affect priority order.

• Early years refinement is still a priority. The early years approach is described as very systematic in literacy and mathematics, with a stated need to apply the same step-by-step precision across the full early years curriculum.

• Enrichment breadth is developing. Clubs and trips exist, but the stated improvement focus is to broaden opportunities so all pupils’ personal development is more consistently enriched, particularly through activities pupils may not naturally request.

This is a Catholic primary where routines, respect, and structured learning are central, and the 2024 outcomes place it among the stronger-performing primaries in England. The school’s identity is clear, with worship and faith formation embedded into daily life, and academic expectations set high from the early years onwards.

Best suited to families who want a faith-led education with strong literacy and numeracy outcomes, and who are comfortable engaging with the Catholic admissions process. The main constraint is securing entry, rather than what pupils experience once they have a place.