Farmborough Church Primary School

About Farmborough Church Primary School

Farmborough Church Primary School is a Church of England state primary in Bath and North East Somerset, a local authority where seven of 63 primary schools hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The school itself ranks 17th out of 52 primaries in the LA on the key stage 2 expected standard measure, placing it in the top third locally. Its closest Outstanding-rated neighbour is St Mary's CofE Primary School, 2.1 kilometres away, while the top-performing peers in the authority include Freshford Church School, St Julian's Church School and Shoscombe Church School. With 150 pupils against a capacity of 175, the school is undersubscribed in terms of total places but oversubscribed for its reception intake: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 44 applications for 25 places, with 23 first-preference offers made from 24 first-preference applications. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.76, meaning competition is real but not fierce. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, judged it Good overall, with personal development rated Outstanding — a notable strength that parents may want to weigh alongside the school's academic profile.

Academically, Farmborough Church Primary performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 key stage 2 assessments, 68% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — above the Bath and North East Somerset LA average of 62%. Reading was a particular strength: the average scaled score was 109, with 50% of pupils reaching the higher standard. Maths followed with an average score of 106 and 32% at the higher level. Writing was weaker, with just 9% achieving greater depth. The school's national ranking on the combined expected standard metric places it in the 35th percentile, and regionally in the South West it sits at the 30th percentile. Ofsted's breakdown from the 2024 inspection rated quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and early years provision all as Good, while leadership and management also received a Good. This represents a shift from the school's previous inspection in 2013, when overall effectiveness was judged Outstanding — a change that reflects updated inspection frameworks as much as any decline.

The school offers a strong set of facilities for its size, including a Forest School, music rooms, a sports hall, a sensory room, art studios, an ICT suite and a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, athletics, swimming, netball and dance, while clubs include choir, book club, drama, gardening and film club. SEND support is available for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025 from 47 respondents, show 81% would recommend the school. However, responses were notably split on SEND support: 36% strongly agreed that children with SEND get the support they need, but an equal 36% strongly disagreed. Similarly, 60% strongly agreed that their child feels safe, yet 13% disagreed and 6% strongly disagreed. This suggests a school that works well for many families but where some experience significant dissatisfaction — worth investigating further if your child has particular needs.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Farmborough Church Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents