St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School, Shepton Mallet
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Shepton Mallet. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 115th-highest of the 155 schools in Somerset with published results, and 11,625th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Capacity
- 95% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School in detail
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School in its own words
In its own words: "Named Contact: Please address all enquiries to Mrs T Roberts, our Business Manager."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to you as the Headteacher at St Paul's CofE (VC) Junior School. It is an honour to lead St Paul's and work alongside our dedicated staff, talented pupils, and supportive parents. St Paul's is a beautiful, large, junior school set in stunning grounds."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming, drama, choir, cooking and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care, from £3.50 per day.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (67% in reading, 67% in maths).
Getting a place at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School
Across Somerset, 95% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Somerset lodged 85 appeals against primary school offers; 49 reached a hearing and 2 succeeded (4.1% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School are Shepton Mallet Community Infants' School & Nursery (0.3 miles, Good); Bowlish Infant School (0.6 miles, Good); St Aldhelms Church School (1.7 miles, 77% reading, 73% maths); and Croscombe Church of England Primary School (1.8 miles).
Shepton Mallet Community Infants' School & NurseryBowlish Infant SchoolSt Aldhelms Church SchoolCroscombe Church of England Primary School
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Beech House (e-bound), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 60 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. 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 Paul's Church of England VC Junior School issued 23 suspensions, 7.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
St Paul's Church of England Junior School is a welcoming and caring school. The school's 'REFLECT' values set high expectations for pupils' behaviour and learning. Pupils understand these well. The school has designed a curriculum that interests and motivates pupils.
Pupils like coming to school. They feel safe and well looked after. Pupils are polite and courteous. They behave well in lessons and around the school site. Pupils build strong relationships with staff. Parents and carers speak highly about the care and attention that staff show to pupils. They appreciate the regular and supportive communication they receive.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has high expectations for all pupils. It has acted decisively to address previous lower outcomes at key stage 2. The school has revised the curriculum in English, mathematics and science, as well as in the foundation subjects. The design now carefully considers what pupils need to know from Year 3 to Year 6. As a result, pupils talk about and recall their learning across the curriculum with confidence.
Teachers have secure subject knowledge of the subjects they teach. They share important knowledge and instructions clearly with pupils. However, in some subjects, teachers do not check well enough pupils' understanding before moving learning on. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning and do not build their knowledge as well.
From Ofsted's October 2023 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
25.9%
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 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.0
Avg class size
27.0
KS2
1
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School.
- Mini MojosAt the school · Not yet graded
- TLE-Shepton320m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
Mini Mojos is at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School.
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School, with their latest published grades:
- Shepton Mallet Community Infants' School and Nursery - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 14 September 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Willow Nursery and Pre-School - Day nursery, 0.3 milesOfsted, 15 February 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- First Steps Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 2 July 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Pilton Pre-School - Day nursery, 2.1 milesOfsted, 30 June 2023: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School is in Somerset; for families living there:
- How to apply: Apply for School travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 17 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
327 pupils
343 places
16 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Shepton Mallet Primary planning area (Somerset) will have 553 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
63
SEN Support
11
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
324
Total Pupils
173
Boys
151
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
20.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,536
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,385
Per pupil
£1957k
Total funding
£126k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
15.5%
Persistent absence
335
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 Paul's Church of England VC Junior School
Questions parents ask about St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School
What are SATs results like at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
Of the pupils at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.
What is St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023.
Is it hard to get a place at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its 343 places.
How big are the classes at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
Classes at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School average 27 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School has around 324 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School in 2024/25. 15.5% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Mini Mojos (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre.
How many road collisions happen near St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 17 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Paul's Church of England VC Junior School?
St Paul's Church of England VC Junior School is at Paul Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5LA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)