St Mary's Broughton Gifford Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School
66%
Capacity
69
Pupils
1.9x
Demand
About St Mary's Broughton Gifford Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School
St Mary's Broughton Gifford Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school now holds Good marks across every category inspected, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The most telling exam metric comes from Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year: 54% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits below the Wiltshire local authority average of 58%, placing the school 97th out of 159 primary schools in the county. While the combined expected standard figure is modest, individual subject results tell a more nuanced story — 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in writing, and 69% did so in maths, both stronger than the combined headline suggests.
Looking deeper into the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 data, the school's average scores in reading (103) and maths (104) are both above the national benchmark of 100, indicating solid progress for a small cohort. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined is just 8%, and only 15% reached the higher standard in maths. Reading fared better at the higher level, with 31% of pupils achieving that threshold. The school's ranking in the South West region places it in the 64th percentile, and nationally it sits in the 70th percentile among primary schools. With only 69 pupils on roll, these figures should be interpreted with caution — small cohorts can produce volatile percentages from year to year. The school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it is difficult to assess how much value it adds relative to pupils' starting points.
St Mary's is a small, oversubscribed village primary with a Methodist and Church of England religious character, serving 69 pupils against a capacity of 105. For the 2025/26 intake, it received 21 applications for 11 places, with all 11 first-preference applicants offered a spot — an oversubscription ratio of 1.91. The school offers a range of facilities including a library, sports hall, gymnasium, sensory room and chapel, plus clubs such as coding, eco club, book club and film club. Sports provision includes rounders, netball, cricket and dance. The school supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. With 15.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a broadly representative rural intake. It will particularly suit families seeking a small, church-affiliated primary with a Good Ofsted rating and a strong sense of community in the Wiltshire countryside.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Methodist/Church of England |
| Address | The Street, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 8PR |
| Headteacher | Emma Hembury |
| Local Authority | Wiltshire |
| Number of Pupils | 69 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.9% |
| School Capacity | 69 / 105 (66% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 15 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (54%)
9660th of 13,686
Nationally
943rd of 1,469
In South West
97th of 159
In Wiltshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
54%
Expected Standard
8%
Higher Standard
'22/23
50%
'23/24
54%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
8Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed11
21
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
11 families put this school as their 1st choice (52% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:45-08:40
After-school care
15:15-17:30
Source: broughtongifford.wilts.sch.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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British98.6%
- 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.
1
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
1
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's Broughton Gifford Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary 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
The Street, Melksham
Wiltshire, SN12 8PR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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