Welcome to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Little Wren’s Nursery in Barnard Castle - a warm, nurturing and community‑focused school where children aged 3 and above begin their learning journey with confidence, curiosity and joy. Set in the beautiful market town of Barnard Castle, County Durham, we provide a caring environment where every child can explore, grow and thrive.
What an absolutely fantastic day it has been for our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils at Nissan’s Robotics LEGO Competition in Sunderland! The children spent the day inside Nissan’s impressive training suites, rising to the challenge of completing a series of fast‑paced robotics missions using their coding skills and LEGO engineering expertise.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle is celebrating after receiving the highest possible judgement - Grade 1 (Outstanding) in all areas - in its recent Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI) report. Inspectors praised the school for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, noting that St Mary’s is “deeply rooted in its Catholic identity and mission, which is proudly proclaimed and enthusiastically lived by everyone.”
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle, our young violinists enjoyed a wonderfully creative music session this week—one that brought laughter, learning, and a whole lot of balance! To help pupils develop strong posture and stability while playing, our music teacher introduced a brilliantly fun activity the children quickly named the “Statue of Liberty Game.”
At Little Wren’s Nursery, we offer high‑quality early years provision for children from age 3, giving them a gentle, supportive introduction to school life. Our dedicated Early Years team provides personalised care, play‑based learning and meaningful experiences that build early communication skills, independence and a lifelong love of learning. Families seeking nursery places in Barnard Castle appreciate our warm atmosphere, small‑school feel and strong focus on wellbeing.
Find out more
With our beautiful outdoor spaces, including a school garden, our much‑loved chicken coop, and a thriving Forest School area - children enjoy hands‑on, nature‑rich learning every day. These experiences support curiosity, resilience and essential life skills, helping children develop confidence while learning to care for the world around them.
Find out more
Our curriculum combines the full National Curriculum with a wide range of extra opportunities that enrich children’s learning. Through our Enjoyment and Enrichment programme, pupils take part in exciting activities that build skills, interests and confidence. We are proud to hold both the Rights Respecting School Award and the Investing in Children Award, reflecting our commitment to promoting respect, high expectations and positive relationships across our school.
Find out more
