Charlton Horethorne Church of England Primary School

About Charlton Horethorne Church of England Primary School

Charlton Horethorne Church of England Primary School is a small village primary in Somerset, and its headline academic metrics sit well below the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, only 25% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Somerset average of 59%. That gap is significant, and it places the school 132nd out of 219 primary schools in the county. The school’s ranking score of 25 puts it in the bottom half nationally and regionally too. However, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. Reading scores were stronger: 58% of pupils met the expected standard, and 17% achieved a higher standard. Maths and writing were weaker, with just 25% reaching the expected level in each. The average reading score was 103, while maths averaged 97. So while the combined headline figure is a concern, reading outcomes are notably better than the rest of the curriculum.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2023, rated it Good across all five categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Early years provision was also judged Good. This is consistent with its previous inspection in 2012, which also awarded a Good rating for overall effectiveness and leadership. So the school has maintained a solid standard over time, even if academic results are below the LA average. With only 42 pupils on roll, the small cohort size means that a handful of children can swing percentages dramatically. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 14.3%, slightly above the national average, which may also be a factor. Progress scores for reading, writing and maths were not published, so it’s hard to say whether pupils are making typical gains from their starting points, but the Ofsted judgement suggests the school is providing a good standard of education overall.

Charlton Horethorne is a Church of England school with a strong set of facilities for its size, including a library, music rooms, art studios, a gymnasium, playing fields and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, cricket, gymnastics, dance and cross country, and there are clubs such as eco club, film club, science club, coding and gardening. The school has a dedicated SEND provision, supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: 15 applications for 7 places, with 6 first-preference offers made. That suggests strong local demand despite the below-average results. This school would suit families who value a small, community-focused, church-affiliated primary with good facilities and a stable Ofsted record, but who are aware that academic outcomes are currently well below the Somerset average and may want to investigate how the school supports pupils who are not meeting expected standards.

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