Axbridge Church of England First School Academy

Axbridge Church of England First School Academy has shown strong overall performance, achieving a 'Good' rating across all inspected areas. This is the school's first inspection as an academy, and it demonstrates a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued. High expectations are set for pupil behavior and academic achievement, particularly in reading and mathematics. The positive relationship between staff and pupils contributes to a calm learning atmosphere, with parents expressing high levels of satisfaction with the school's approach and leadership.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending the school and are proud of their roles and responsibilities.
• Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, especially those with special educational needs.
• The reading curriculum is well-implemented, fostering confidence and fluency in pupils.
• Mathematics teaching is carefully planned and sequenced to meet pupils' needs.
• Staff collaborate effectively and appreciate the support from their new headteacher.
• Pupils display positive attitudes and behave well in lessons and social situations.

Areas for Improvement

• The implementation of the planned curriculum varies across subjects, needing improvement.
• Some teachers do not consistently check pupils' prior knowledge, impacting retention of learning.

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 Axbridge Church of England First School Academy attended 97.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 0.8% 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 Axbridge Church of England First School 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 Axbridge Church of England First School Academy had 23.1 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, 4.0% of pupils at Axbridge Church of England First School Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 Axbridge Church of England First School Academy received £6,819 and spent £6,401 for each of its 160 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £190,000 (£1,190 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of Wessex Learning Trust, income was £7,524 and spending £7,371 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 Somerset · Somerset local authority: places and applications

Axbridge Church of England First School Academy is part of Wessex Learning Trust, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• Cheddar First School Cheddar
• Weare Academy First School Axbridge
• The Kings of Wessex Academy Cheddar
• Fairlands Middle School Cheddar
• Shipham Church of England First School Winscombe
• Winscombe Primary School Winscombe
• Sandford Primary School Winscombe
• Draycott & Rodney Stoke Church of England First School Draycott
• Wedmore First School Academy Wedmore
• Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School Wedmore

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Axbridge Church of England First School Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2022.

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

Axbridge Church of England First School Academy was last inspected in December 2022.

How many pupils does Axbridge Church of England First School Academy have?

Axbridge Church of England First School Academy has 177 pupils on roll.

What age range does Axbridge Church of England First School Academy cover?

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

Where is Axbridge Church of England First School Academy?

Axbridge Church of England First School Academy is at Moorland Street, Axbridge, Somerset, BS26 2BA.