Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School, Taunton

Ofsted's report card from its 6 January 2026 inspection grades Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 1 expected standard, 3 needs attention and 3 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Most pupils attend school regularly."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Although some pupils achieve well, some do not."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Staff generally identify the barriers to learning that individual pupils face."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "Leaders have not formed an accurate oversight of what is taught, and when, through the school's personal development programme."

Curriculum and teaching - Urgent improvement. "There is a lack of oversight and coherence to the curriculum across the school."

Early years - Urgent improvement. "Leaders do not have a secure understanding of how children learn and develop in the early years."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "Over time, leaders, including governors, have not maintained an accurate oversight of the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, must ensure that there is sufficient capacity for strategic working to drive the necessary school improvements"; "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, must ensure that they gain the necessary assurances about the quality of education pupils receive and use this to inform actions and decision-making"; "The school must ensure that there is a coherent and well-structured curriculum in place, across the school, to enable pupils to benefit from effective and cohesive teaching and learning"; "Leaders should ensure that staff have the required subject knowledge and have a secure understanding of how pupils learn most effectively, including children in the early years, so that they can support pupils to learn and develop with greater success and achieve more ambitious outcomes"; "Leaders must ensure that there is a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum in place for children in the early years so that they are well prepared for learning in key stage 1 and beyond"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise and resources that they need to adapt learning and make the necessary adjustments to pupils' provision, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They should ensure this expertise allows pupils to learn successfully and overcome the barriers to learning or development that they face".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Kingston St Mary CoE Primary School, our small, friendly, and vibrant school community, where there is always something exciting happening and every child is valued as an individual."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics and coding.

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 78% in reading and 89% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School are Cheddon Fitzpaine Church School (1.6 miles, Good, 100% reading, 71% maths); Wellsprings Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 52% reading, 77% maths); Lyngford Park Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 83% reading, 71% maths); and Staplegrove Church School (2.3 miles, Good, 73% reading, 77% maths).

Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

39 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School (as of April 2026): 97% 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 are kept well informed about progress (90%).

0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 11 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 2 (1.8%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Garfields (w-bound), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22).

Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.