School Chooser

Coxley Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil70 pupilsNurseryWellsSomerset
School Chooser Score
12
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 41, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 11% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNeeds attention teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1150%England 63%
Attendance96.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families11%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend91%32 Parent View responses
PlacesFull70 pupils, 70 places

Coxley Primary School is a council school in Wells for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 70 pupils and every place is taken. About 11 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 12 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 11% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Harters Hill Lane, Coxley, Wells, BA5 1RD01749 672719coxleyschool.co.ukMrs Hayley Hamblin headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 14 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Needs attention
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Urgent improvement
Early years
Needs attention
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Ofsted has serious worries about this school. It is in requires significant improvement.

Earlier inspections (2)
DateTypeOutcome
11 July 2023S5 InspectionRequires improvement
24 May 2022UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

12 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1150%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level8%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score110.0
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
2018 to 2025
2018: 75%75%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 38%38%20232025: 50%50%2025
Since 2018: -25%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017SomersetEngland
Pupils tested12488125
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths50%38%50%75%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths8%0%25%33%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score110.0103.0108.0108.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0103.0105.0105.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score108.099.0106.0105.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard83%50%88%83%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard58%50%63%75%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)58%50%63%92%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.7+2.6+1.9
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4-0.8-0.5

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.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Full66 pupils for 60 places, 2024/25
110% full

The school is full, with 6 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 27% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 2.8 miles away in 2023. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2023. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 2.8 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2023 Primary81982.8 milesLA

What parents say

Would recommend the school91%England 87%
My child is happy here94%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe97%
Positive overall88%
My child is happy at this school
94%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
97%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
84%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
13% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
75%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
91%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
25% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
88%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
91%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
81%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
88%England 82%
I would recommend this school
91%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
88%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 32 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll70Census January 2026
Places70100% full
Pupils from low-income families11%11% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English0%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support24%17 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size18.01 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)12%£12,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls40 / 30
White British pupils94%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (8), emotional and mental health (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll706864565452
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals11%18%16%20%20%15%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%0%4%4%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%14%25%9%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%2%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school4.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.8%7.0%9.0%7.2%2.5%6.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.3%4.7%6.8%5.5%1.9%4.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.6%2.2%2.2%1.7%0.6%1.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence4.8%17.9%19.2%24.5%4.4%15.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.43.17.19.30.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers4.6full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher15.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,137
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.62024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£8,336England £7,738. Total £567k
Income per pupil£8,447England £7,697. Total £574k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,696England £3,480
Money in reserve17%A healthy amount put by: £97k, £1,434 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£7,568it took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,336spent 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 m1412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate41 per 1,000 people55% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop60 mHarters Hill Lane, 5 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
St Cuthbert's Church of England Academy Infants and Pre-SchoolAcademy1.5 miles154Good 202314Compare
Wookey Primary SchoolCouncil1.5 miles93No overall grade 20253Compare
St Cuthbert's Church of England Junior SchoolAcademy1.5 miles170Good 2023Compare
St Joseph and St Teresa Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy2.1 miles160No overall grade 202453Compare
Stoberry Park SchoolAcademy2.5 miles303Good 2024Compare
St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infants SchoolChurch of England3.1 miles184No overall grade 202427Compare
St Benedict's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior SchoolChurch of England3.3 miles236Good 202332Compare
West Pennard Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England3.5 miles219No overall grade 202566Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Coxley Primary School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats11%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 12 is 29 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 41 · highest 94100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 12 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 12% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 4 to 41. 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
-0.06
2025 results; 12 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.60
Ofsted report card, 0.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.01
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 12 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.03
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 62 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 12 pupils
What parents say5%in line
+0.01
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 32 responses

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 Coxley Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Coxley Primary School scores 12 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 11% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 41, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Coxley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 14 January 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as urgent improvement.

How good are Coxley Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 50% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Coxley Primary School have?

70 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 70 places, so it is 100% full.

Is Coxley Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2023 the last place went to a child living 2.8 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Coxley Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 5% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Coxley Primary School?

91% of the 32 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 94% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Coxley Primary School?

The average class had 18.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class 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
Harters Hill Lane, Coxley, Wells, BA5 1RD
Telephone
01749 672719
Website
www.coxleyschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Hayley Hamblin
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Mendip West
Constituency
Wells and Mendip Hills
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
123641 · LAESTAB 9332019 · UKPRN 10073897

Where these figures come from