Maiden Beech Academy

Maiden Beech Academy has undergone significant changes since transitioning from a middle school to a primary school. Overall, the school demonstrates a strong standard of education, with leaders effectively promoting positive pupil attendance and behaviour. Moreover, safeguarding arrangements are robust, ensuring that pupils feel safe and supported. While the early years provision is well-structured, leaders are aware that further improvement is needed, particularly in phonics and writing, as many pupils are missing key knowledge, limiting their overall achievement.

Strengths

• Strong focus on pupil attendance with effective parental engagement.
• Positive behaviour culture that promotes respect and mutual understanding.
• Well-organized early years curriculum with ambitious expectations.
• Effective strategies for supporting pupils with special educational needs.
• Rigorous leadership that has quickly addressed areas needing improvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Gaps in key knowledge for some pupils in reading and writing.
• Inconsistencies in staff subject knowledge impacting teaching quality.
• Variability in the quality of written work and handwriting among pupils.
• Assessment practices do not consistently inform teaching effectively.

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 Maiden Beech Academy attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.3% 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, 1.2% of pupils at Maiden Beech Academy 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 Maiden Beech Academy had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.9% 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, 12.7% of pupils at Maiden Beech Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 2022–23 Maiden Beech Academy received £9,725 and spent £11,306 for each of its 110 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £36,000 (£326 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust, income was £7,660 and spending £7,853 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Maiden Beech Academy is part of Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Stanchester Academy Stoke-Sub-Hamdon
• Brookside Community Primary School Street
• Hamp Academy Bridgwater
• Bridgwater College Academy Bridgwater
• Brymore Academy Bridgwater
• Otterhampton Primary School Bridgwater
• West Somerset College Minehead

What is Maiden Beech Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Maiden Beech Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Maiden Beech Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Maiden Beech Academy was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Maiden Beech Academy have?

Maiden Beech Academy has 102 pupils on roll.

What age range does Maiden Beech Academy cover?

Maiden Beech Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

Where is Maiden Beech Academy?

Maiden Beech Academy is at Lyme Road, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 8HG.