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.
Pupils from the School Council at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle recently visited William Smith for a design briefing as part of an exciting toilet refurbishment project. Working alongside Pippa, the children shared the colour preferences that pupils across the school had voted for over the previous week. During the session, they explored a range of design options and viewed digital before-and-after images to help them visualise how different choices could transform the spaces.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle is delighted to be working in partnership with William Smith to transform its pupil toilet facilities through an exciting, pupil-led improvement project. Through pupil voice activities, the school identified that the current toilet areas were beginning to look dated. As a result, plans are now underway to completely refresh the spaces with new vinyl wraps, creating modern, welcoming environments for all pupils.
Children from the Early Years Wrens and Robins classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Barnard Castle enjoyed an exciting visit to the local Fire Station this week as part of their 'People Who Help Us' topic. The visit gave pupils the opportunity to find out more about the important work carried out by firefighters and how they help keep people safe in the community. As part of the experience, the children explored the fire engines, learned about the equipment used by the Fire Service and even had the chance to have a go with a fire hose.
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
