Chilthorne Domer Church School

Chilthorne Domer Church School is a small, highly inclusive primary school where pupils are well cared for and behave well. The school has many strengths: its early years provision is strong, personal development is a standout feature, and pupils with SEND are well supported. Attendance is improving and most pupils attend in line with national averages. Safeguarding is met. However, achievement at key stage 2 is a significant concern. Over time, older pupils have not achieved well in reading, mathematics, and English grammar, punctuation and spelling, with disadvantaged pupils particularly affected. Leaders have put measures in place and there are signs of improvement, especially in phonics and multiplication tables, but it will take time for these to show in published outcomes. In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils struggle to recall prior learning, partly because teachers' checks on understanding are not always precise. Leadership is generally effective, and staff feel well supported. Governors, however, do not consistently provide rigorous challenge, which limits their understanding of the impact of leaders' actions on key stage 2 outcomes. The school is part of a supportive community, with overwhelmingly positive parental feedback. Overall, the school is performing at the expected standard in most areas but needs to address the underperformance in older pupils' achievement.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive school where every pupil is welcomed and supported to fulfil their potential.
• Strong early years provision that prepares children well for Year 1.
• Personal development programme is a strength, with a wide range of clubs and leadership opportunities.
• Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful, and have positive attitudes to learning.
• Attendance is improving and most pupils attend in line with the national average.
• Pupils with SEND receive effective, bespoke support and typically learn alongside their peers.
• Leaders use additional funding effectively to support disadvantaged pupils.
• Staff feel well supported by leaders and value professional learning opportunities.
• Strong phonics outcomes and multiplication tables check results.
• Pupils feel safe and know that adults will deal with any incidents quickly.
• Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.
• Pupils have a strong understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement at key stage 2 is below national averages in reading, mathematics, and EGPS.
• Disadvantaged pupils' outcomes are significantly below national, especially in mathematics and combined reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Some pupils do not build knowledge well in the wider curriculum and struggle to recall prior learning.
• Teachers' checks on pupils' understanding are sometimes imprecise, limiting knowledge building.
• Governors do not consistently provide rigorous challenge to leaders, limiting their understanding of impact on key stage 2 outcomes.
• Gaps in older pupils' basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics remain a priority.
• Improvements are not yet fully reflected in published outcomes.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Chilthorne Domer Church School attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 2.0% of pupils at Chilthorne Domer Church School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Chilthorne Domer Church School had 20.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.2% of pupils at Chilthorne Domer Church School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Chilthorne Domer Church School received £7,918 and spent £7,880 for each of its 146 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £109,000 (£744 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Yeovil · Somerset local authority: places and applications

What is Chilthorne Domer Church School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chilthorne Domer Church School is Needs attention, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Chilthorne Domer Church School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chilthorne Domer Church School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Chilthorne Domer Church School have?

Chilthorne Domer Church School has 146 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chilthorne Domer Church School cover?

Chilthorne Domer Church School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Chilthorne Domer Church School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Chilthorne Domer Church School?

Chilthorne Domer Church School is at Main Street, Chilthorne Domer, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8RD.