'We are the best!' Primary school named best in the country

A PRIMARY school has been named the best in the country even though 80% of pupils are foreign.

Eight out of 10 youngsters at St Mary’s Church of England School in Moss Side, Manchester, do not speak English as their first language.

But a national teaching awards ceremony has placed it in the country’s top 2% for the number of pupils improving at reading and 7% at maths. Around 80% of students come from low-income families and qualify for free school meals.

Staff say they encourage them to have a “will do” rather than “can do” attitude and run classes in potential careers from a young age.

Pupils at the school speak nine different languages between them, including Arabic, Kurdish, Urdu, Somali, Dutch, French, Polish, Lithuanian and Wolof – a regional West African language spoken in Senegal and Gambia.

The school runs 14 extra-curricular clubs and has its own garden where children learn to care for chickens.

Judges at the Times Education Supplement School Awards commended as “amazing” teachers’ work in challenging stereotypes about Moss Side and raising aspirations.

Headteacher Jenny McGarry said: “We’re absolutely over the moon.

“It is really, really nice to have that recognition for everybody who works here day in, day out.

“It shows Moss Side is a great place to live and a great place to go to school.’’