Pupils at a Chippenham primary school are celebrating after recording particularly strong results in reading and writing in this year’s SATs.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, saw 96 per cent of pupils achieve the expected standard or above in writing, compared with 73 per cent nationally.
Reading results were also well above the national figure, with 88 per cent of pupils reaching the expected standard or above, against a national average of 75 per cent.
In maths, 76 per cent achieved the expected standard or above, broadly in line with the national figure of 75 per cent.
Overall, 68 per cent of St Mary’s pupils achieved the expected standard or above in reading, writing and maths combined, five percentage points higher than the national average of 63 per cent.
The school also recorded a strong result in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, with 95 per cent of pupils reaching the expected standard, compared with 80 per cent nationally in 2025.
The results come during the National Year of Reading, with St Mary’s placing particular emphasis on encouraging children to read for pleasure.
Pupils take part in daily ‘Read for Pleasure’ sessions and are introduced to a wide range of books, while the school’s reading breakfasts give families the chance to come into school and read with their children.
The school has also opened its library to families, allowing parents and children to choose books and spend time reading together.
Lucy Buckland, Headteacher at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, said the results reflected both the pupils’ hard work and the school’s focus on reading.
“We are incredibly proud of our pupils and the hard work they have put into their learning. It is particularly pleasing to see such strong results in reading and writing, which have been a real focus for us this year.
“Taking part in the National Year of Reading has given us even more opportunities to celebrate books and reading with our pupils and families, and our reading breakfasts have been a wonderful way to bring that into the wider school community.
“We hope the results reflect not only what our children have achieved, but also the enjoyment and confidence they are developing as readers.”
Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, said: “These are excellent results for St Mary’s and a real credit to the pupils and staff.
“The school’s focus on reading, supported by the involvement of families, is helping to build strong foundations for children as they progress through their education. We are delighted to see that reflected in these results.”
