Our School
Welcome to St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, a thriving two-form entry school in Bideford, North Devon, where every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish. We are proud of our strong sense of community and the positive relationships that exist between children, families and staff. As a Church school, this shapes our values and the way we care for one another. We want every child to feel that they belong, to develop confidence and resilience, and to discover and celebrate their own strengths and talents. Our vision, “Rooted in love, growing together, flourishing in all we do,” reflects our commitment to nurturing children academically, socially, physically, morally and spiritually, while giving them the knowledge, skills and experiences they need for the next stage of their journey. Our curriculum is designed to inspire aspiration, resilience and curiosity, with high expectations for every child and a wealth of opportunities beyond the classroom.
We believe that learning should be exciting, purposeful and connected to the world around us. Children at St Mary’s are encouraged to be curious, ask questions, solve problems and have a go at new challenges. We are particularly proud of our commitment to science, STEM and innovation, providing children with practical experiences that encourage them to think like scientists, engineers, designers and problem-solvers. Our science provision has been recognised through the Gilt Science Quality Mark, reflecting our commitment to high-quality science education. We embrace opportunities for children to apply their learning through STEM activities, technology, design and practical investigation, helping them to see how the knowledge they develop in school can be used to understand and shape the world around them. Our Forest School provision also gives children opportunities to explore, investigate, take appropriate risks, work collaboratively and develop creativity and problem-solving skills in our own woodland environment.
We are also a school where sport and physical activity play an important part in school life. We have a strong sporting tradition and are proud of the achievements of our children in competitive sport, while ensuring that every child has opportunities to be active, develop teamwork and experience the enjoyment of physical activity. We celebrate participation, determination and the ability to work together as much as individual success. Across school life, children are encouraged to discover what they are good at and to develop the confidence to pursue their interests, whether that is through sport, science, the arts, music, technology, outdoor learning or leadership. We want children to leave St Mary’s with a strong sense of belonging, a love of learning and the confidence, character and skills to take their next steps with courage.
If you would like to make an appointment to come and look around our school, please contact the school office.