Beckington Church First School

Beckington Church First School is a small church first school that has been through significant change, joining the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust in December 2024 and appointing new executive and school leadership in February 2025. Inspectors found the school performing at the expected standard across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils typically achieve well, attendance is above national averages, behaviour is positive, and the school provides a calm, inclusive and community-focused environment. Reading and phonics are particular strengths, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils generally receive effective support. The school has a broad, well-sequenced curriculum adapted to its mixed-age structure, and leaders have a clear understanding of strengths and development priorities. Early years provision is aspirational, personal development is well planned, and governance and trust support are effective. However, some pupils do not consistently develop a detailed understanding of important curriculum concepts, and teachers' checks on understanding are not always precise enough, allowing misconceptions to persist. In addition, letter formation, spelling and handwriting are not consistently corrected, including in the early years, which limits some pupils from applying these skills securely across the curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils typically achieve well, with Year 1 phonics attainment above national averages over time.
• Attendance is above the national average, and persistent absence is well below national figures.
• Pupils behave well, follow routines consistently and learn without disruption.
• The school has a broad, balanced and well-sequenced curriculum suited to its mixed-age structure.
• Reading is a priority, and staff implement the phonics programme effectively.
• Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils generally achieve well and receive effective support.
• Leaders have created a highly inclusive environment with accurate identification of barriers to learning.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with clear direction, trust support and staff wellbeing considered.
• Personal development is well designed, helping pupils learn about safety, values, character and responsibility.
• Early years provision is aspirational, with strong relationships and effective progress from starting points.
• Parents and carers value the school's small-family feel and open communication.
• Additional funding and bespoke alternative provision are used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers' checks on pupils' understanding are not precise enough, so some misconceptions persist.
• Some pupils do not consistently develop a detailed understanding of the important concepts leaders intend them to learn.
• Inaccurate letter formation, spelling and handwriting are not consistently corrected across the curriculum.
• In the early years, inaccurate letter formation is not consistently corrected, and some children repeat the same inaccuracies.
• Leaders know more work is needed to embed aspects of teaching and the curriculum.

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 Beckington Church First School attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.9% 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 Beckington Church 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 Beckington Church First School had 16.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7).

Pupils per teacher

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, 14.1% of pupils at Beckington Church First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.3% 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.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

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

• Christ Church First School Frome
• Freshford Church School Bath
• Mells Church First School Frome
• Kilmersdon Church School Radstock
• St Nicholas Church School Radstock
• Bathwick St Mary Church School Bath
• St Andrew's Church School Bath
• St Vigor & St John Church School Radstock
• Bathampton Primary School Bath
• Bathford Church School Bath

What is Beckington Church First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Beckington Church First School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Beckington Church First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Beckington Church First School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Beckington Church First School have?

Beckington Church First School has 78 pupils on roll.

What age range does Beckington Church First School cover?

Beckington Church First School for pupils aged 5 to 9.

Where is Beckington Church First School?

Beckington Church First School is at Church Street, Beckington, Frome, Somerset, BA11 6TG.