Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Bridport
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school creates an inspiring learning environment where children are genuinely excited to come to school. Pupils develop into thoughtful, responsible citizens through exceptional enrichment activities - from working with professional musicians to caring for school beehives - that make learning come alive. The school excels at supporting all learners, including those with additional needs, while maintaining exceptionally high standards of behaviour and kindness.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils showing exceptional consideration for one another across all age groups
- Exceptional enrichment experiences including work with professional musicians, human rights lawyers, and author visits that broaden pupils' horizons
- Well-sequenced curriculum with clear connections between learning, particularly strong in early reading and mathematics
- Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs through bespoke planning and staff training
- Strong personal development programme with high-quality trips, clubs, and active roles in the school community
Areas for Improvement
- Writing curriculum is newly introduced and pupils need more opportunities to practise and rehearse their writing skills across different subjects
- Expectations for writing should be extended more broadly throughout the curriculum to help pupils progress more effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Professional musicians workshops, operatic performances, human rights lawyer talks, author visits, book award judging panel, poetry club, beekeeping, trips, before- and after-school care
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a good quality school where pupils are eager to learn and behave exceptionally well. The school provides exceptional experiences beyond the curriculum and encourages pupils to make a positive difference in the world through small actions.
At a Glance
14.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
53 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 75% to 83%. Maths has improved from 56% to 75%. Writing has improved from 50% to 67%.
Class Sizes
31.0
Avg class size
1
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
107 pupils
112 capacity
5 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bridport
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bridport
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(7)
House Prices
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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
3.68833%
Overall absence
3.09278%
Persistent absence
97
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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