School Chooser

Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedChurch of England112 pupilsTauntonSomerset
School Chooser Score
12
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 32, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 10% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedUrgent improvement teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1145%England 63%
Attendance94.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families18%A bit fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend97%39 Parent View responses
Places7 spare112 pupils, 119 places

Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Taunton for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 112 pupils and room for 119. About 18 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 12 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 10% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Greenway, Kingston St Mary, Taunton, TA2 8JH01823 451353ksmprimary.comMr Jonathan Moise-Souch headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 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”
Urgent improvement
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”
Needs attention
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Urgent improvement
Early years
Urgent improvement
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 special measures.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
7 December 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

11 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 1145%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 58%58%20172018: 53%53%20182019: 69%69%20192023: 65%65%20232024: 78%78%20242025: 45%45%2025
Since 2017: -13%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017SomersetEngland
Pupils tested11917161512
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths45%78%65%69%53%58%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%18%19%7%8%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0104.0110.0104.0105.0105.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0105.0108.0107.0103.0102.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score107.0110.0108.0110.0106.0103.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard73%78%82%69%80%67%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard73%89%76%94%67%75%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)82%89%71%88%73%67%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.5-3.4-0.4+0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.5+0.1-0.8-2.9

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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full114 pupils for 120 places, 2024/25
95% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 20% 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 2.2 miles away in 2025. 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 2025. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 2.2 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
2025 Primary1735172.2 milesLA

What parents say

Would recommend the school97%England 87%
My child is happy here100%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe100%
Positive overall95%
My child is happy at this school
100%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
100%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
97%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
3% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
100%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
98%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
23% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
100%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
90%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
69%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
92%England 82%
I would recommend this school
97%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
95%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 39 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 roll112Census January 2026
Places11994% full
Pupils from low-income families18%18% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support10%11 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%2 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.04 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils25%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)16%£26,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls49 / 63
White British pupils95%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Hearing impairment (1), Physical disability (1), emotional and mental health (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll11211598988889
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals18%23%25%19%19%17%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%2%1%2%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%6%9%13%11%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%1%0%0%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school15.2%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.5%7.5%7.6%9.5%4.2%4.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.2%5.6%5.3%6.7%2.6%3.0%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.4%1.9%2.3%2.8%1.6%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence15.2%21.1%17.4%27.1%12.5%5.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers4.4full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher25.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,699
Teachers who left in the year39%2023/24, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.62024/25

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£7,025England £7,738. Total £808k
Income per pupil£6,806England £7,697. Total £783k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,180England £3,480
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £32k, £282 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£25kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£7,025spent 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 m912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate59 per 1,000 people35% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop80 mGarfields, 7 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
Cheddon Fitzpaine Church SchoolAcademy1.6 miles136Good 202455Compare
Wellsprings Primary SchoolCouncil1.9 miles279Not inspected11Compare
Lyngford Park Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles284Good 202323Compare
Staplegrove Church SchoolAcademy2.3 miles206Good 202262Compare
Priorswood Primary SchoolAcademy2.4 miles211Good 202215Compare
Nerrols Primary School and NurseryFree school2.5 miles279Good 202337Compare
St Andrew's Church SchoolAcademy2.5 miles223No overall grade 20249Compare
Norton Fitzwarren Church SchoolAcademy2.5 miles306Good 202339Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats10%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 12 is 28 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 40 · highest 84100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hambridge Community Primary SchoolAcademy12.1 miles104Good 202383Compare
Ashcott Primary SchoolCouncil14.3 miles117Not inspected36Compare

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 32. 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
-0.03
2025 and 2023 results; 11 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.60
Ofsted report card, 0.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.02
DfE progress measure; 11 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.02
2024/25; 99 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
0.00
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 11 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.04
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 39 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 Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School scores 12 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 10% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 32, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 January 2026 it rated teaching as urgent improvement, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as urgent improvement.

How good are Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 45% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% 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 Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School have?

112 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 119 places, so it is 94% full.

Is Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2025 the last place went to a child living 2.2 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 Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 15% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School?

97% of the 39 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 100% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Kingston St Mary Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 28.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 25% 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
Greenway, Kingston St Mary, Taunton, TA2 8JH
Telephone
01823 451353
Website
www.ksmprimary.com
Headteacher
Mr Jonathan Moise-Souch
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Bath and Wells
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Rowbarton & Staplegrove
Constituency
Taunton and Wellington
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
123795 · LAESTAB 9333180 · UKPRN 10076313

Where these figures come from