St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas, Sherborne
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a caring school where pupils feel valued as individuals and enjoy a wide range of enrichment activities. The school has made excellent improvements to behaviour and attendance under new leadership, and provides strong support for pupils with additional needs. Staff are well supported and committed to helping every child succeed.
Key Strengths
- Attendance has improved and is now above national figures, with strong support for families
- Behaviour has improved significantly through clearer expectations and better support for pupils with SEND
- Wide range of enrichment activities including art, music, sports clubs and trips
- Early identification of children's needs and effective support for pupils with special educational needs
- Staff feel well supported by leaders and appreciate the school's focus on their wellbeing
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching of foundational knowledge in reading, writing, vocabulary and mathematics is not yet consistent across the school
- Pupils' results in national assessments fluctuate because some pupils do not gain secure basic knowledge
- Leaders have not identified exactly what foundational knowledge pupils need to learn, slowing progress
- Monitoring of pupil progress is not focused enough on identifying gaps in basic knowledge quickly enough
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Art with local artists, singing performances with nearby schools, annual performances, football, swimming, cross country, dodgeball, netball, Yeovil Town Football Club provision, Roman learning trips, pantomime visits, residentials, summer production, summer fair, enterprise projects
St Mary's Church of England Primary School in Bradford Abbas has made significant progress under new interim leadership, with improved attendance and behaviour. However, the school needs to strengthen teaching of foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics to ensure all pupils achieve well.
At a Glance
10.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 83% to 63%. Maths has remained stable at around 69%. Writing has declined from 75% to 56%.
Class Sizes
22.3
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
27.5
KS2
4
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
76%
Available places
90 pupils
119 capacity
29 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Sherborne
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sherborne
Admissions Demand - Dorset
Places available
3,776
Applications
2,808
Got 1st preference
94.1%
Got preferred school
99.1%
Primary admissions across Dorset (2025/26)
Inspection History(104)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.12874%
Overall absence
6.17284%
Persistent absence
81
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.