Bathford Church School
66%
Capacity
139
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Bathford Church School
Bathford Church School holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, but the real story is in the numbers. The school ranks 7th out of 52 primary schools in Bath and North East Somerset, placing it comfortably in the top 10% locally. Its strongest metric is the Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard, where 81% of pupils met the benchmark — well above the local authority average of 62%. Reading is a particular strength: 96% of pupils reached the expected standard and 67% hit the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 111. Maths is also strong, with 89% at expected and an average score of 108. The school's national percentile of roughly 10% puts it among the better-performing primaries in the country.
The Ofsted breakdown shows a school that has evolved since its previous Outstanding rating in 2015. While overall effectiveness was not judged this time, inspectors rated personal development as Outstanding, and quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all as Good. Early years provision is also Good. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 96% of respondents would recommend the school, and 95% agree or strongly agree that their child is happy. The school's small size — 139 pupils against a capacity of 210 — means class sizes are manageable, and the oversubscription ratio of 2.33 for the 2025/26 intake (28 applications for 12 places) confirms its popularity. Just 5.8% of pupils qualify for free school meals, which is low compared with national averages.
Facilities include an art studio, library, chapel, dining hall and outdoor playground. Sports provision covers rounders, football, cricket, tennis, athletics, cross country and netball, while clubs extend to gardening, drama, science club, choir and film club. The school has a Church of England character and is led by headteacher Becky Hayter. SEND support covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, physical disability and other difficulties. The nearest Outstanding-rated alternative is Swainswick Church School, 3.8 km away. Bathford Church School suits families who value strong academic foundations, particularly in reading, and want a small, well-regarded village primary with a clear Christian ethos and a broad range of extracurricular opportunities.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Dovers Park, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 7UB |
| Headteacher | Becky Hayter |
| Local Authority | Bath and North East Somerset |
| Number of Pupils | 139 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.8% |
| School Capacity | 139 / 210 (66% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 2 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (81%)
1351st of 13,686
Nationally
114th of 1,469
In South West
7th of 52
In Bath and North East Somerset
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
81%
Expected Standard
19%
Higher Standard
'22/23
67%
'23/24
81%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
91 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed12
28
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
12 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:20
Breakfast club
07:30-08:55
After-school care
15:20-18:00
Source: bathfordchurchschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.1%
- Mixed8.6%
- Asian2.8%
- White (other)1.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
2
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bathford Church School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Dovers Park, Bath
Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 7UB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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