St. Mary's food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Tendring
St. Mary's holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the school kitchen met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 21 January 2026, 5 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: St Marys C of E Primary School, Colchester Road, Ardleigh, CO7 7NS
How it compares in Tendring
That puts St. Mary's among the 775 places in Tendring holding top marks, 67% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 775 | 67% | ← St. Mary's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 221 | 19% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 106 | 9% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 32 | 3% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 20 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 3 | <1% |
A further 123 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At St. Mary's none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to St. Mary's, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardleigh Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 138 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2024 |
| The Lion of Bengal Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 374 yards away | 4 - Good | 22 January 2026 |
| Ardleigh Service Station Retailers - other | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2010 |
| Elm Park Brain Injury Services Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 3 - Generally satisfactory | 14 May 2025 |
| Belbin Native Seafoods Manufacturers/packers | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 August 2023 |
| Bright Stars Nurseries (Orchard Barns Kindergarten) School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 14 May 2025 |
Questions about St. Mary's
What is St. Mary's's food hygiene rating?
St. Mary's has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Tendring Council on 21 January 2026.
Is St. Mary's safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this school kitchen to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was St. Mary's last inspected?
St. Mary's was last inspected on 21 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Tendring Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at St. Mary's?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does St. Mary's compare to other places in Tendring?
67% of the 1,157 rated food businesses in Tendring hold the top rating of 5, and St. Mary's is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Tendring Council inspects St. Mary's and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch St. Mary's and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
St. Mary's is one of 20 rated food businesses in Ardleigh. See every hygiene rating in Ardleigh →
Tendring inspects and rates 1,280 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Tendring →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →