School Chooser

St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic178 pupilsFromeSomerset
School Chooser Score
34
Below
similar schools
Likely range 13 to 66, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 33% of the 50 schools most like it.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1152%England 63%
Attendance95.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families21%A bit fewer than most schools
Places32 spare178 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher24.7School workforce census

St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome is a converter academy in Frome for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 178 pupils and room for 210. About 21 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 34 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

Welshmill Lane, Frome, BA11 3AP01373 463728stlouisfrome.co.ukMrs Helen Biles-Wood headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 21 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes
Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
8 February 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1152%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level17%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score104.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 69%69%20172018: 60%60%20182019: 63%63%20192023: 63%63%20232024: 80%80%20242025: 52%52%2025
Since 2017: -17%
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024†2023†2019†2018†2017†SomersetEngland
Pupils tested292024323032
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths52%80%63%63%60%69%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths17%10%21%6%3%9%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score104.0106.0105.0105.0105.0106.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0105.0104.0104.0105.0103.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0105.0106.0105.0105.0106.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard69%80%75%78%83%81%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard66%85%79%72%83%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)72%85%75%78%77%78%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.4+0.1-0.7+1.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.2-2.1-1.2-1.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged33%43%71%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged57%68%68%

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 St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome, the school this one replaced in January 2024. 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
33%57%
Gap 24 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
47%57%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
71%52%
Gap 19 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%17%
Gap 17 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. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places186 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
89% full

About 24 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up.

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 roll178Census January 2026
Places21085% full
Pupils from low-income families21%21% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English17%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support14%24 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.47 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)22%£57,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls74 / 104
White British pupils66%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.7 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 (11), Moderate learning difficulty (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), emotional and mental health (3), Hearing impairment (2), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024
Pupils on roll178186179
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals21%20%18%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language17%19%24%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school8.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/23†2021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.4%4.7%5.2%7.2%3.7%5.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.9%4.0%5.5%3.2%3.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%0.9%1.2%1.7%0.5%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence8.1%11.9%14.5%18.5%7.6%11.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.50.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00

† These attendance figures are for St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome, the school this one replaced in January 2024. 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.

Teachers7.2full-time equivalent, 8 people
Pupils per teacher24.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,609
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.92024/25

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£6,484England £7,128. Total £1.2m
Income per pupil£6,978England £7,587. Total £1.3m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,962England £3,405
Money in reserve22%A lot put by: £282k, £1,516 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£92kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,484spent 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 m1,09912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate66 per 1,000 people28% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop130 mWelshmill Lane, 29 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
Vallis First SchoolCouncil70 m185No overall grade 202529Compare
Avanti Park SchoolFree school540 m503Good 202471Compare
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, FromeChurch of England650 m185Requires improvement 20241Compare
Oakfield AcademyAcademy970 m490Requires improvement 20243Compare
Trinity Church of England First SchoolAcademy0.7 miles297Good 202369Compare
Selwood AcademyAcademy0.8 miles658Good 202245Compare
Hayesdown First SchoolAcademy1.0 miles299Good 202472Compare
Christ Church First SchoolAcademy1.0 miles47Report card 202658Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome with the 45 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 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats33%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 34 is 16 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 50 · highest 95100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 34 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 34% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 13 to 66. 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
-0.08
2025 results; 29 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 1.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.12
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 29 pupils
Direction of travel over five years0%no data
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 173 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 29 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 St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome a good school?

The figures are weak. St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome scores 34 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 13 to 66, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome not judged at its last full inspection on 21 January 2025.

How good are St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 52% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 17% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome have?

178 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 85% full.

Is St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome oversubscribed?

Probably not. 24 places were empty in 2024/25 (11% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome?

Pupils were in school 95.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome?

The average class had 25.4 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
Welshmill Lane, Frome, BA11 3AP
Telephone
01373 463728
Website
www.stlouisfrome.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Helen Biles-Wood
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Clifton
Multi-academy trust
The Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust (13 schools)
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Frome West
Constituency
Frome and East Somerset
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 January 2024 (academy converter)
URN
150177 · LAESTAB 9333371 · UKPRN 10093487
Formerly
St Louis Catholic Primary School, Frome

Where these figures come from