Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Bridport
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bridport. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 10 schools in Bridport with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 75% in reading and 56% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 72% reading, 68% maths); St Catherine's Roman Catholic School (1.5 miles, Requires improvement, 55% reading, 40% maths); Bridport Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 64% reading, 66% maths); and Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (2.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths).
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolSt Catherine's Roman Catholic SchoolBridport Primary SchoolSalway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What parents say
53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 86% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (86%).
Who goes there
14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (19.6%) received SEN support and 2 (1.9%) 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
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St John the Baptist Church (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often public order offences, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from March 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
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, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 75% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 56% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 50% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.5
Avg class size
2
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is in Dorset; for families living there:
Apply to Dorset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 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 Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Dorset 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
106 pupils
105 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bridport
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bridport
Across Dorset council
Places available
3,692
Applications
2,795
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
21.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
107
Total Pupils
50
Boys
57
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
10.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,995
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,120
Per pupil
£701k
Total funding
£12k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
3.1%
Persistent absence
97
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 30.5 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 107 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 3.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary 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 Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Symondsbury, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 6HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)