Chewton Mendip Church of England VA Primary School

About Chewton Mendip Church of England VA Primary School

Chewton Mendip Church of England VA Primary School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections. In its 2023 graded inspection, inspectors awarded Good across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The early years provision also received a Good rating, a clear improvement from the Requires Improvement grade it received in the previous inspection. On the academic front, the school’s most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. At 71%, this comfortably exceeds the Somerset local authority average of 59%, placing Chewton Mendip 35th out of 134 primary schools in the county. That puts it in the top 27% of schools locally and the top 30% nationally, a solid performance for a small village school.

Looking deeper into the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the school’s strengths are spread across the core subjects. In reading, 82% of pupils met the expected standard and 41% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 109. Maths followed closely, with 76% at expected and 35% at the higher standard, averaging a score of 108. Writing saw 76% reach the expected level and 29% achieve greater depth. While the school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, the attainment figures alone paint a picture of a school performing well above the local norm. The 24% of pupils who achieved the higher standard across all three subjects is a respectable figure, though it suggests there is room to push more children into that top tier. The school’s overall ranking score of 71, based on the combined expected standard metric, reflects consistent, above-average outcomes rather than exceptional peaks.

Chewton Mendip is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school for 4 to 11 year olds, with a current roll of 100 pupils against a capacity of 150. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 10 applications for 9 places, with 7 first-preference offers made. The school serves a relatively affluent catchment, with only 4% of pupils eligible for free school meals. Facilities include a library, playing fields, a gymnasium, art studios and a chapel, and the school offers a broad range of clubs from chess and choir to gardening and eco club. Sports provision covers football, gymnastics, athletics and cricket. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. This is a well-regarded village primary that suits families prioritising strong core academic outcomes within a small, church-affiliated setting.

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