Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery, Montgomery
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Montgomery. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 86th-highest of the 96 schools in Shropshire with published results, and 13,485th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Shropshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery in detail
Results
In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery reached the expected standard in reading and 56% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 72% in Shropshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (64% in reading, 45% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery as their first choice and 7 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery are Forden C.I.W. School (2.6 miles), Montgomery C.I.W. School (2.6 miles), Churchstoke C.P. School (2.9 miles) and Leighton C.P. School (5 miles).
Forden C.I.W. SchoolMontgomery C.I.W. SchoolChurchstoke C.P. SchoolLeighton C.P. School
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
3.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 13 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 1 (1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Car Park (opposite), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and other crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
Suspensions and exclusions
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2019, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a caring school where children feel valued and eager to learn. The school provides an extraordinary range of enrichment activities that develop resilience, integrity, support and kindness - bringing their motto of 'take a RISK to be the best you can be' to life. Pupils enjoy positive behaviour, strong pastoral care and opportunities to develop their talents through clubs, sports and music.
Key Strengths
- Nurturing, welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and supported
- Exceptional enrichment experiences including mountain biking, residential activities and hands-on learning
- Strong focus on pupils' character development with clubs in sports, arts, music and rock band
- Well-designed curriculum with key knowledge arranged logically from early years to Year 6
- Effective partnerships with parents, carers and governors
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils who struggle with reading do not receive enough regular support to become confident, fluent readers
- Teachers do not check pupils' understanding well enough in lessons to spot gaps or challenge ready learners
- Monitoring of how well pupils are doing lacks rigour - the school does not identify all training needs or track progress effectively
- Support plans for pupils with SEND are not always put into action properly
- Low achievement over time has not prepared some pupils well for their next steps
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Mountain biking, residential activities, sports clubs, arts clubs, music lessons, rock band
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is a nurturing, welcoming school where pupils behave well and are happy to learn. However, some aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the previous inspection, particularly in reading support and curriculum monitoring.
At a Glance
3.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 64% to 56% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 45% to 56% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 55% to 22% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
22.5
Avg class size
25.0
Infant (KS1)
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby primary school
Keep up with Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery
Term dates
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is in Shropshire; for families living there:
Apply to Shropshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery
Will you get a place at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Shropshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Shropshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
83 pupils
84 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,420
Applications
2,582
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.8%
All primary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
13
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
13.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
104
Total Pupils
47
Boys
57
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
13.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,266
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,076
Per pupil
£630k
Total funding
£2k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
12.5%
Persistent absence
72
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery
What are SATs results like at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Of the pupils at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 56% reached the expected standard in reading and 56% did so in maths.
What is Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery's Ofsted rating?
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
No fixed boundary. When Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is oversubscribed, Shropshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Classes at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery average 22.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery has around 104 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery in 2024/25. 12.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Apply through Shropshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery's term dates?
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Shropshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery?
Chirbury CofE VC Primary School & Busy Bees Nursery is at Chirbury, Montgomery, Powys, SY15 6BN.
Sources: Shropshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)