St Peter's Church of England First School

St Peter's Church of England First School is currently rated as good overall, demonstrating considerable improvement since its last inspection. The school is characterized by a nurturing environment where strong relationships between staff and pupils facilitate effective learning. Pupils exhibit confidence and determination, participating actively in both academic and community activities. The school has established a well-sequenced curriculum that begins effectively in early years and promotes a love for reading. However, there are some subjects where the curriculum is not as fully developed, impacting pupils' retention of learning in those areas. Overall, the school is in a stable position, benefiting from the support of its multi-academy trust.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils
• Nurturing environment that supports emotional readiness for learning
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum
• Effective early years provision promoting independence
• Strong reading program fostering fluency and confidence
• Well-understood provision for pupils with SEND
• Positive staff morale and support from leadership

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects in the curriculum are not as well-embedded
• Disparity in community understanding of behaviour management policies

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 St Peter's Church of England First School attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 24.1% 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 St Peter's 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 St Peter's Church of England First School had 22.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.6% 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, 19.5% of pupils at St Peter's Church of England First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 St Peter's Church of England First School received £11,776 and spent £11,033 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £118,000 (-£1,192 per pupil).

Across all 41 schools of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, income was £8,730 and spending £8,608 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 Taunton · Somerset local authority: places and applications

St Peter's Church of England First School is part of Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, which runs 43 schools. The nearest others:

• Danesfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Community Middle School Taunton
• Old Cleeve Church of England First School Washford
• Minehead Middle School Minehead
• Minehead First School Minehead
• St Michael's Church of England First School Minehead
• Pyrland School Taunton
• St Dunstan's School Glastonbury
• Preston School Academy Yeovil
• Buckler's Mead School Yeovil
• Dundry Church of England Primary School Bristol

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Peter's Church of England First School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was St Peter's Church of England First School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Peter's Church of England First School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does St Peter's Church of England First School have?

St Peter's Church of England First School has 123 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Peter's Church of England First School cover?

St Peter's Church of England First School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is St Peter's Church of England First School?

St Peter's Church of England First School is at Doniford Road, Williton, Taunton, Somerset, TA4 4SF.