St John and St Francis Church School, Bridgwater
St John and St Francis Church School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bridgwater, part of The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 13th-highest of the 26 schools in Bridgwater with published results, and 9,159th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Somerset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St John and St Francis Church School in detail
Results
In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at St John and St Francis Church School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 75% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St John and St Francis Church School
For September 2026 entry, 79 families put St John and St Francis Church School as their first choice and 112 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 20 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St John and St Francis Church School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John and St Francis Church School are Eastover Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 84% reading, 92% maths); Hamp Nursery and Infants' School (1.2 miles, Good); Somerset Bridge Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 83% reading, 86% maths); and Northgate Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St John and St Francis Church School.
Eastover Primary SchoolHamp Nursery and Infants' SchoolSomerset Bridge Primary SchoolNorthgate Primary School
The trust
St John and St Francis Church School is one of 46 schools run by The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust, an academy trust.
All 46 schools in The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust
Who goes there
25.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%) and Asian (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bridgwater Rail Station, about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
20 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Salvation Army (sw-bound), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 320 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John and St Francis Church School issued 26 suspensions, 6.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John and St Francis Church School are Bridgwater College Academy (0.5 miles), Robert Blake Academy (1.1 miles) and Chilton Trinity School (1.6 miles).
Bridgwater College AcademyRobert Blake AcademyChilton Trinity School
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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
20.7%
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 remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 81% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 75% to 61% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.1
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.1
KS2
14
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St John and St Francis Church School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John and St Francis Church School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John and St Francis Church 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 St John and St Francis Church School
Will you get a place at St John and St Francis Church School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John and St Francis Church School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John and St Francis Church School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John and St Francis Church School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Somerset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John and St Francis Church 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
99%
Near capacity
419 pupils
420 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bridgwater
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bridgwater
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
76
SEN Support
20
EHC Plans
22.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
421
Total Pupils
215
Boys
206
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
20.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,887
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,271
Per pupil
£2409k
Total funding
£132k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
7.9%
Persistent absence
368
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St John and St Francis Church School
Questions parents ask about St John and St Francis Church School
What are SATs results like at St John and St Francis Church School?
Of the pupils at St John and St Francis Church School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is St John and St Francis Church School's Ofsted rating?
St John and St Francis Church School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St John and St Francis Church School?
No fixed boundary. When St John and St Francis Church 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 St John and St Francis Church School?
St John and St Francis Church School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St John and St Francis Church School?
Classes at St John and St Francis Church School average 30.1 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St John and St Francis Church School?
St John and St Francis Church School has around 421 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John and St Francis Church School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at St John and St Francis Church School in 2024/25. 7.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John and St Francis Church School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming St John and St Francis Church 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 St John and St Francis Church School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 7 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 St John and St Francis Church School?
St John and St Francis Church School is at Westonzoyland Road, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5BP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)