Maiden Beech Academy, Crewkerne

Ofsted's report card from its 3 February 2026 inspection grades Maiden Beech Academy on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have secured positive pupil attendance with tenacity."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years is a priority for Maiden Beech."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school accurately identifies pupils' needs."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have acted with rigour since the school changed from a middle school to a primary school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils benefit from a comprehensive programme that supports their development beyond the academic."

Achievement - Needs attention. "A significant minority of pupils are missing key knowledge in reading and writing."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "In some subjects, such as phonics, some staff lack the subject knowledge to be able to identify and address misconceptions."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should ensure that staff are trained effectively to check how well pupils have learned new knowledge and identify and address any misconceptions, including during phonics lessons. • Leaders should ensure that staff are trained effectively to teach the vocabulary that pupils need to know, so that they can talk readily and accurately about their learning. • Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to teach pupils how to form letters accurately and improve their writing, so that the quality of work in books improves and pupils learn to write fluently. • Leaders should ensure that staff receive effective training to teach the curriculum as intended, and check the impact of this work".

For September 2026 entry, 33 families put Maiden Beech Academy as their first choice and 50 named it as one of their preferences, for 33 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 Maiden Beech Academy are St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles, 75% reading, 79% maths); Ashlands Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles, 66% reading, 63% maths); Haselbury Plucknett Church of England Primary School (2.5 miles, 64% reading, 43% maths); and Merriott Primary School (2.5 miles, 48% reading, 35% maths).

Maiden Beech Academy is one of 8 schools run by Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust, an academy trust.

37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Maiden Beech Academy (as of April 2026): 89% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).

2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 13 pupils (12.7%) received SEN support and 2 (2%) 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.

Maiden Beech Academy 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.

The nearest railway station is Crewkerne Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Maiden Beech School (inside), 10 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 44 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Maiden Beech Academy issued 2 suspensions, 2.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.