Cutcombe Church of England First School, Minehead
Cutcombe Church of England First School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 9 in Minehead. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. It was 53% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Cutcombe Church of England First School in detail
Getting a place at Cutcombe Church of England First School
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Cutcombe Church of England First School as their first choice, 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Cutcombe Church of England First School are Timberscombe Church of England First School (2.7 miles, Good); Exford Church of England First School (4.4 miles, Good); Dunster First School (5 miles, Good); and Minehead First School (5.1 miles, Good).
Timberscombe Church of England First SchoolExford Church of England First SchoolDunster First SchoolMinehead First School
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cutcombe Church of England First School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they would recommend the school (86%).
Who goes there
10% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 3 pupils (10%) received SEN support and 3 (10%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Cutcombe Church of England First School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Methodist Church (opposite), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes 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
Cutcombe Church of England First School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 February 2020, 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: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, caring environment where children are genuinely happy and confident to talk to staff about worries. The curriculum is ambitious and carefully planned, with wonderful trips and local experiences that develop children's character and resilience. Strong outdoor learning through the 'Generation Exmoor' project teaches children to care for the environment and become active citizens.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are confident readers and writers who enjoy learning and achieve well overall
- The school provides excellent enrichment experiences including trips, outdoor learning through 'Generation Exmoor', and visits from community helpers
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with effective assessment and curriculum adaptation
- Excellent attendance focus with supportive approach that helps reduce absence
- High expectations of pupil behaviour and achievement which pupils live up to
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff lack subject expertise needed to teach certain subjects effectively, meaning pupils do not consistently deepen their knowledge and skills
- Routines for listening and turn-taking are less well embedded with younger children, limiting opportunities to develop social skills
- Teaching does not always develop pupils' vocabulary strongly enough or identify learning gaps
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to Roman baths in Bath, outdoor learning through 'Generation Exmoor' project, displays of artwork in local church, fundraising for local hospice, residential programme, visits from lifeguards and police officers
Cutcombe Church of England First School has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils are happy, eager to learn, and benefit from a broad, well-ordered curriculum with enriching experiences both locally and further afield.
At a Glance
10.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
15.0
Avg class size
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Cutcombe Church of England First School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cutcombe Church of England First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cutcombe Church of England First 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 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 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School
Will you get a place at Cutcombe Church of England First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Cutcombe Church of England First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Cutcombe Church of England First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Cutcombe Church of England First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Somerset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Cutcombe Church of England First 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
53%
Available places
32 pupils
60 places
28 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Minehead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Minehead
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)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
20.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
30
Total Pupils
18
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,754
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£9,853
Per pupil
£408k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.8%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
33
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Cutcombe Church of England First School
What is Cutcombe Church of England First School's Ofsted rating?
Cutcombe Church of England First School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Cutcombe Church of England First School?
No fixed boundary. When Cutcombe Church of England First 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Cutcombe Church of England First School was not full in 2025: it ran at 53% of its 60 places.
How big are the classes at Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Classes at Cutcombe Church of England First School average 15 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Cutcombe Church of England First School has around 30 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Cutcombe Church of England First School?
7.8% of sessions were missed at Cutcombe Church of England First School in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming Cutcombe Church of England First 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 Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 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 Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cutcombe Church of England First School?
Cutcombe Church of England First School is at Wheddon Cross, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7DZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)