St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome, Frome
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 9 in Frome. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024. It was 68% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome in detail
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports, choir, Lego and art.
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome
For September 2026 entry, 24 families put St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome as their first choice and 45 named it as one of their preferences, for 25 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome are Avanti Park School (0.2 miles, Good, 77% reading, 62% maths); Vallis First School (0.4 miles, Good); St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome (0.4 miles, 69% reading, 66% maths); and Christ Church First School (0.6 miles).
Avanti Park SchoolVallis First SchoolSt Louis Catholic Primary School, FromeChrist Church First School
Who goes there
In 2026, 40 pupils (21.6%) received SEN support and 3 (1.6%) 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
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Frome Rail Station, about 680 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gorehedge (w-bound), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 190 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome issued 34 suspensions, 16.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome are Oakfield Academy (0.8 miles), Selwood Academy (0.8 miles) and Frome Community College (1 mile).
Sources: 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
31.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.4
Avg class size
29.5
Infant (KS1)
24.3
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome.
- IG Sports Coaching Limited - St Louis690m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome 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
- 35
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 26 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
4 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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome
Will you get a place at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome.
- 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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome 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
68%
Available places
197 pupils
288 places
91 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Frome
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Frome
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(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
23.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
185
Total Pupils
94
Boys
91
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
13.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,175
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,679
Per pupil
£1307k
Total funding
£91k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.6%
Overall absence
24.6%
Persistent absence
183
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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome
Questions parents ask about St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome
What is St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome's Ofsted rating?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
No fixed boundary. When St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome 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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 288 places.
How big are the classes at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
Classes at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome average 26.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome has around 185 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
6.6% of sessions were missed at St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome in 2024/25. 24.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome 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.
Does St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome: IG Sports Coaching Limited - St Louis (690m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 26 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 4 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's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome?
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome is at Christchurch Street East, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1QG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)