Horton CofE VA Primary School, Bristol
Horton CofE VA Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bristol. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 182nd-highest of the 198 schools in Bristol with published results, and 13,336th of 14,452 across England. It was 61% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- 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 South Gloucestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Horton CofE VA Primary School in detail
Horton CofE VA Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome you to Horton CE VA Primary School. We are part of the Sodbury Vale Federation working closely with St John's Mead CE VC Primary School . We are a small, rural school in an idyllic setting just outside Chipping Sodbury."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports and Lego.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at Horton CofE VA Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 57% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 76% in South Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Horton CofE VA Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 4 families put Horton CofE VA Primary School as their first choice and 12 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Horton CofE VA Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Horton CofE VA Primary School are Old Sodbury Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles); Old Sodbury Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths); Hawkesbury Church of England Primary School (1.9 miles); and St John's Mead Church of England Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 73% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Horton CofE VA Primary School.
Old Sodbury Church of England Primary SchoolOld Sodbury Church of England Primary SchoolHawkesbury Church of England Primary SchoolSt John's Mead Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
35.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above 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, 11 pupils (32.4%) received SEN support and 2 (5.9%) 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 specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Staffing
Horton CofE VA Primary School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 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 Horton CofE VA Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Horton Primary Sch (e-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in South Gloucestershire (116).
Suspensions and exclusions
Horton CofE VA Primary School 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; 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 March 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 April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Horton CofE VA Primary School excels at creating a caring community where all pupils feel safe and happy. Teachers explain learning clearly and pupils are highly motivated - they build on what they already know and can apply learning across different subjects. The school provides exceptional opportunities to develop children's character through clubs, trips to theatres and different places of worship, and learning in their wooded area.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave very well, are polite and respectful, with unkind behaviour being very rare
- Ambitious and well-planned curriculum with strong emphasis on developing pupils' vocabulary and speaking skills
- Expert teaching of phonics and reading with diverse texts - pupils learn to read fluently and accurately
- Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well-supported, achieving alongside their peers
- Wide range of enrichment activities developing pupils' character and understanding of modern Britain
Areas for Improvement
- Handwriting and letter formation teaching is not consistently effective, leading some pupils to lack fluency which slows their written work
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre trips, residential trips, visits to different places of worship, African theme days, gardening club, chess club, cookery club, learning in wooded area
Horton CofE VA Primary School is at the heart of the local village community where pupils are helpful, kind and welcoming. The school has maintained the standards identified at its previous inspection and continues to provide effective education.
At a Glance
35.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
12.0
Avg class size
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Horton CofE VA Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Horton CofE VA Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Horton CofE VA Primary School is in South Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to South Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none 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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 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 Horton CofE VA Primary School
Will you get a place at Horton CofE VA Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Horton CofE VA Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Horton CofE VA Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Horton CofE VA Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from South Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Horton CofE VA Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in South Gloucestershire 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
61%
Available places
34 pupils
56 places
22 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bristol
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bristol
Across South Gloucestershire council
Places available
3,640
Applications
3,033
Got 1st preference
92.8%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across South Gloucestershire 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
11
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
38.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
34
Total Pupils
15
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
8.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,148
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£11,253
Per pupil
£412k
Total funding
£14k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.9%
Overall absence
50.0%
Persistent absence
38
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Horton CofE VA Primary School
What are SATs results like at Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Of the pupils at Horton CofE VA Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% reached the expected standard in reading and 57% did so in maths.
What is Horton CofE VA Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Horton CofE VA Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Horton CofE VA Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Horton CofE VA Primary School is oversubscribed, South Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Horton CofE VA Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 61% of its 56 places.
How big are the classes at Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Classes at Horton CofE VA Primary School average 12 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Horton CofE VA Primary School has around 34 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Horton CofE VA Primary School?
12.9% of sessions were missed at Horton CofE VA Primary School in 2024/25. 50% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Apply through South Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Horton CofE 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 Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none 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 South Gloucestershire is 8 (the median across 127 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Horton CofE VA Primary School?
Horton CofE VA Primary School is at Horton, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol, BS37 6QP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)