Cutcombe Church of England First School

Cutcombe Church of England First School, after not being inspected for 11 years, has received a 'good' overall effectiveness rating in its latest inspection. The school serves a small, close-knit community and has strong links to the local church, which enhances its family-like environment. While there have been significant improvements in areas such as reading, writing, and mathematics due to recent curriculum changes and staff training, some subjects still require more detailed planning to reach the same standards. The interim headteacher has stabilized the school following a period of leadership changes, which has helped to restore staff morale and focus on pupil development.

Strengths

• Strong community and family-like atmosphere
• Effective leadership has stabilized the school
• Good relationships based on strong Christian values
• Improvements in reading, writing, and mathematics
• Well-planned support for pupils with SEND
• Pupils behave well and feel safe
• Successful engagement in cultural events

Areas for Improvement

• Writing in other subjects is not as strong as in English
• Curriculum plans in foundation subjects lack detail
• Pupils' attendance is below average
• New curriculum for personal, social, and health education not evaluated for effectiveness
• Need to secure sustainable senior leadership

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 Cutcombe Church of England First School attended 92.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Cutcombe Church of England First 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School had 14.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 10.0% of pupils at Cutcombe Church of England First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 10.0% 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 2024–25 Cutcombe Church of England First School received £13,749 and spent £11,088 for each of its 37 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £112,000 (£3,015 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 Minehead · Somerset local authority: places and applications

What is Cutcombe Church of England First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cutcombe Church of England First School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Cutcombe Church of England First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cutcombe Church of England First School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Cutcombe Church of England First School have?

Cutcombe Church of England First School has 30 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cutcombe Church of England First School cover?

Cutcombe Church of England First School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is Cutcombe Church of England First School?

Cutcombe Church of England First School is at Wheddon Cross, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7DZ.