School Chooser

Castle Cary Community Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy177 pupilsCastle CarySomerset
School Chooser Score
16
Below
similar schools
Likely range 6 to 40, so it could be “well below”
Out of 100. Better than 22% of the 50 schools most like it.
OfstedRequires improvementLast Ofsted inspection, December 2021
Reached the expected level at 1168%England 63%
Attendance94.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families28%About the same as most schools in England
Places59 spare177 pupils, 236 places
Pupils per teacher20.6School workforce census

Castle Cary Community Primary School is a sponsored academy in Castle Cary for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 177 pupils and room for 236. About 28 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 16 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 22% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2021.

Park Street, Castle Cary, BA7 7EH01963 350520Mrs Amy Brouard headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 7 December 2021, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Requires improvement overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Early years
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

31 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1168%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level10%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 52%52%20172018: 71%71%20182019: 62%62%20192023: 56%56%20232024: 45%45%20242025: 68%68%2025
Since 2017: +16%
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024†2023†2019†2018†2017†SomersetEngland
Pupils tested312939293433
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths68%45%56%62%71%52%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%3%5%14%15%12%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0104.0105.0103.0107.0103.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0101.0103.0104.0105.0104.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0103.0105.0104.0109.0105.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard74%69%72%62%82%61%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard77%66%72%79%82%73%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)71%72%69%76%74%64%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.7+0.0+1.2-3.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4+0.1-0.1-1.9
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged29%57%43%67%33%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged79%41%59%71%56%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Castle Cary Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
29%79%
Gap 50 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
55%75%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%10%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places191 pupils for 236 places, 2024/25
81% full

45 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Somerset council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll177Census January 2026
Places23675% full
Pupils from low-income families28%28% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support12%21 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%7 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.37 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)27%£74,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls90 / 87
White British pupils94%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (13), emotional and mental health (8), Other difficulty or disability (3), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Multi-sensory impairment (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024
Pupils on roll177194205
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals28%28%24%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%4%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils13.92024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/23†2021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.1%7.6%7.2%7.3%2.9%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%5.5%5.3%5.9%2.1%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.1%2.1%1.9%1.4%0.8%0.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.9%26.1%24.5%22.8%6.0%7.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate13.98.3
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions01

† These attendance figures are for Castle Cary Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in December 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers8.6full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher20.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,879
Teachers who left in the year50%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.12024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,299England £7,128. Total £1.2m
Income per pupil£7,149England £7,587. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,273England £3,405
Money in reserve8%A healthy amount put by: £114k, £590 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£165kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,299spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m8112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate44 per 1,000 people51% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop180 mHorse Pond Inn, 4 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
North Cadbury Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.8 miles100Good 202386Compare
Ditcheat Primary SchoolCouncil2.8 miles89Report card 202634Compare
Lovington Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.9 miles35Inadequate 20231Compare
Bruton Primary SchoolFoundation3.2 miles262Good 202253Compare
Evercreech Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.5 miles198Good 202124Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Castle Cary Community Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats22%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 16 is 17 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 33 · highest 89100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 16 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 16% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 6 to 40. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.04
2025 results; 31 pupils
Ofsted inspection16% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)well below
-0.53
Ofsted grade, 4.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.09
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 31 pupils
Direction of travel over five years0%no data
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 173 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.05
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 31 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Castle Cary Community Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Castle Cary Community Primary School scores 16 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 22% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 6 to 40, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Castle Cary Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Castle Cary Community Primary School requires improvement at its last full inspection on 7 December 2021. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Castle Cary Community Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 68% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Castle Cary Community Primary School have?

177 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 236 places, so it is 75% full.

Is Castle Cary Community Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 45 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Castle Cary Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Castle Cary Community Primary School?

The average class had 25.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Park Street, Castle Cary, BA7 7EH
Telephone
01963 350520
Headteacher
Mrs Amy Brouard
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The Academies for Character and Excellence (20 schools)
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Castle Cary
Constituency
Glastonbury and Somerton
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 December 2023 (new provision)
URN
150285 · LAESTAB 9332063 · UKPRN 10093659
Formerly
Castle Cary Community Primary School

Where these figures come from