Horsington Church School

Horsington Church School has effectively maintained the standards from its previous inspection, demonstrating a commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for its pupils. The school fosters a strong sense of community, where pupils feel valued and appreciated for their achievements. They enjoy learning and engage in various enriching activities that prepare them for future challenges. The leadership, supported by the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust, focuses on improving educational outcomes and ensuring that all pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs, receive a solid foundation in their education. Overall, the school is characterized by good behavior, effective safeguarding measures, and a curriculum designed to support progression in learning.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit enthusiasm for learning and enjoy the various opportunities provided.
• The curriculum is ambitious and structured, helping pupils build knowledge progressively.
• Teachers adapt their teaching effectively to meet the needs of most pupils.
• There is a strong focus on fostering an inclusive and caring school environment.
• Good relationships between pupils and staff contribute to a positive learning atmosphere.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum subjects may confuse pupils due to overly complicated content.
• Writing activities in early years are sometimes too challenging, hindering basic skills development.

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 Horsington Church School attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.6% 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 Horsington 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 Horsington Church School had 17.9 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, 11.8% of pupils at Horsington Church School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.2% 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 Horsington Church School received £7,286 and spent £7,364 for each of its 93 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £32,000 (£343 per pupil).

Across all 45 schools of The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust, income was £7,160 and spending £7,193 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

Horsington Church School is part of The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust, which runs 46 schools. The nearest others:

• Abbas and Templecombe Church School Templecombe
• St Nicholas CofE Primary School, Henstridge Templecombe
• Holy Trinity Church School Yeovil
• St Aldhelms Church School Shepton Mallet
• All Saints Church School Yeovil
• Christ Church First School Frome
• Oakhill Church School Radstock
• Norton Sub Hamdon Church School Stoke-Sub-Hamdon
• Mells Church First School Frome
• Martock Church School Martock

What is Horsington Church School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Horsington Church School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Horsington Church School last inspected by Ofsted?

Horsington Church School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Horsington Church School have?

Horsington Church School has 93 pupils on roll.

What age range does Horsington Church School cover?

Horsington Church School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 50% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Horsington Church School?

Horsington Church School is at Horsington, Templecombe, Somerset, BA8 0BW.