School Chooser

West Coker CofE VC Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedChurch of England27 pupils Free breakfast clubYeovilSomerset
School Chooser Score
11
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 29, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, May 2024
Attendance91.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families63%Far more than most schools
Places39 spare27 pupils, 66 places
Pupils per teacher8.1School workforce census
Pupils on roll27Census January 2026

West Coker CofE VC Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary controlled) in Yeovil for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 27 pupils and room for 66. About 63 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 11 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

High Street, West Coker, Yeovil, BA22 9AS01935 862568westcoker.somerset.sch.ukMr Philip Hyland headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 21 May 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

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
14 March 2023UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

3 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 11Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected levelOfficial name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading scoreOfficial name: Reading average scaled score
Maths scoreOfficial name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2019
2017: 38%38%20172018: 58%58%20182019: 50%50%2019
Since 2017: +12%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017SomersetEngland
Pupils tested342101213
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths50%58%38%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score100.0104.0104.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0102.0101.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score101.0104.0105.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard60%83%69%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard70%67%46%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)70%83%77%
Reading progressReading progress score-3.0+1.4-1.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.1+0.7-3.8

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.

Plenty of spare places26 pupils for 85 places, 2024/25
31% full

59 places were empty (69% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 7% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

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 roll27Census January 2026
Places6641% full
Pupils from low-income families63%63% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support30%8 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan11%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size13.52 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)61%£21,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls16 / 11
White British pupils89%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), emotional and mental health (3), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll272831292635
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals63%57%52%55%58%46%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%14%13%21%8%6%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support25%16%17%12%17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans11%10%3%4%0%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance91.4%
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 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.1%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence8.6%9.2%7.3%7.6%6.0%5.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence6.5%6.9%6.1%6.9%4.6%4.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.1%2.3%1.2%0.6%1.4%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.9%30.8%17.9%21.9%12.5%12.0%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.

Teachers3.4full-time equivalent, 5 people
Pupils per teacher8.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,186
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.82024/25

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£19,094England £7,738. Total £535k
Income per pupil£15,570England £7,697. Total £436k
Spent on teachers per pupil£7,350England £3,480
Money in reserve-3%In the red: -£12k, -£445 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£99kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£19,094spent 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 m2012 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate66 per 1,000 people28% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop250 mPost Office, 2 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
East Coker Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.5 miles199Good 202343Compare
Holy Trinity Church SchoolAcademy1.9 miles419No overall grade 202480Compare
Kingfisher Primary SchoolAcademy1.9 miles265Not inspected95Compare
All Saints Church SchoolAcademy2.2 miles195Not inspected79Compare
Preston CofE Primary SchoolAcademy2.3 miles419Outstanding 2023100Compare
Oaklands Primary SchoolCouncil2.5 miles420Good 202471Compare
Huish Primary SchoolAcademy2.8 miles420Outstanding 202383Compare
Barwick and Stoford Community Primary SchoolCouncil2.8 miles58Requires improvement 20232Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares West Coker CofE VC Primary School with the 44 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 44 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats52%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 11 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 11 · highest 96100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 11 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 11% 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 29. 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 years0%no data
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.03
Ofsted grade, 2.3 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.35
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.33
2024/25; 28 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
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 West Coker CofE VC Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. West Coker CofE VC Primary School scores 11 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 29, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is West Coker CofE VC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated West Coker CofE VC Primary School good at its last full inspection on 21 May 2024.

How many pupils does West Coker CofE VC Primary School have?

27 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 66 places, so it is 41% full.

Is West Coker CofE VC Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 59 places were empty in 2024/25 (69% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at West Coker CofE VC Primary School?

Pupils were in school 91.4% 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 West Coker CofE VC Primary School?

The average class had 13.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does West Coker CofE VC Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
High Street, West Coker, Yeovil, BA22 9AS
Telephone
01935 862568
Website
www.westcoker.somerset.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Philip Hyland
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Church of England school (voluntary controlled) (Voluntary controlled school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Bath and Wells
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Coker
Constituency
Yeovil
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
123821 · LAESTAB 9333285 · UKPRN 10076765

Where these figures come from