Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School, Chard
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Chard. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 6 schools in Chard with published results, and 11,322nd of 14,452 across England. It was 84% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Somerset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 100% in reading and 100% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 9 families put Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School as their first choice and 21 named it as one of their preferences, for 9 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 Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School are The Redstart Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 88% maths); Manor Court Community Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 79% reading, 87% maths); Buckland St Mary Church of England Primary School (2.4 miles, 71% reading, 71% maths); and Avishayes Community Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 77% reading, 50% maths).
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
The Redstart Primary SchoolManor Court Community Primary SchoolBuckland St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolAvishayes Community Primary School
Who goes there
6.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 10 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 3 (2.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The School (nw-bound), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 4.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from September 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2012 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
6.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 100% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 100% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 100% to 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.4
Avg class size
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School is in Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to Somerset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 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 Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School
Will you get a place at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Somerset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Somerset 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
84%
Available places
101 pupils
120 places
19 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Chard
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chard
Across Somerset council
Places available
6,414
Applications
4,928
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
11.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
117
Total Pupils
58
Boys
59
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
19.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,379
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,260
Per pupil
£695k
Total funding
£17k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
10.7%
Persistent absence
84
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School
What are SATs results like at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Of the pupils at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 84% of its 120 places.
How big are the classes at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Classes at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School average 23.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School has around 117 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School in 2024/25. 10.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School 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.
How many road collisions happen near Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School?
Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School is at Combe St Nicholas, Chard, Somerset, TA20 3NG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)