School Chooser

West Huntspill Primary Academy

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademy123 pupilsNurseryHighbridgeSomerset
School Chooser Score
11
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 28, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 21% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, October 2023
Reached the expected level at 1145%England 63%
Attendance89.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families36%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull123 pupils, 90 places
Pupils per teacher24.6School workforce census

West Huntspill Primary Academy is a sponsored academy in Highbridge for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 123 pupils, 33 more than it has places for. About 36 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 21% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

New Road, West Huntspill, Highbridge, TA9 3QE01278 783842westhuntspillprimary.org.ukMrs Emma Barker headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 3 October 2023, 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

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1145%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level5%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 33%33%20172018: 50%50%20182019: 50%50%20192023: 24%24%20232024: 53%53%20242025: 45%45%2025
Since 2017: +12%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure2025202420232019†2018†2017†SomersetEngland
Pupils tested2215178129
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths45%53%24%50%50%33%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths5%7%6%0%8%0%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0103.0101.0103.0106.0101.0105.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0101.096.0102.0101.0101.0103.7104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score102.0100.097.0104.0104.0104.0104.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard59%67%41%75%67%44%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard45%60%35%63%58%44%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)55%67%41%75%67%56%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.1-2.3+0.7-2.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-5.1-3.9-2.6-1.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged25%63%20%33%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged70%43%29%67%

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 West Huntspill Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in April 2021. 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. 1 of the 3 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
25%70%
Gap 45 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
44%46%
Gap 2 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%5%
Gap 5 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.

Full102 pupils for 90 places, 2024/25
113% full

The school is full, with 12 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 fallen by 8% since 2021/22.

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 roll123Census January 2026
Places90137% full
Pupils from low-income families36%36% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English11%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support16%20 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%5 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.02 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)40%£55,800 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls75 / 48
White British pupils81%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (13), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), emotional and mental health (4), Physical disability (2), Vision impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census20262025202420232022
Pupils on roll123102101116103
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals36%47%47%53%46%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language11%11%7%8%8%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support12%13%5%8%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%4%4%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 89.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance89.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school29.9%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils24.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission3.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence10.9%10.8%9.5%8.9%5.0%5.3%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence7.6%6.8%7.1%7.6%3.5%3.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence3.2%4.0%2.4%1.3%1.6%1.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence29.9%28.4%31.5%27.5%15.1%17.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate24.527.713.80.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions0100

† These attendance figures are for West Huntspill Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in April 2021. 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.

Teachers5.0full-time equivalent, 6 people
Pupils per teacher24.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,340
Teachers who left in the year39%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher6.92024/25

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£8,657England £7,128. Total £883k
Income per pupil£9,235England £7,587. Total £942k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,471England £3,405
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £112k, £1,097 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£59kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,657spent 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 m1112 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate58 per 1,000 people36% lower than the England average
Nearest bus stop30 mWest Huntspill School, 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
Churchfield Church SchoolAcademy1.1 miles411Report card 20261Compare
St Joseph's Catholic Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy1.7 miles265No overall grade 202553Compare
St Andrew's Church Junior SchoolAcademy1.9 miles290Good 2022Compare
East Huntspill Primary AcademyAcademy2.0 miles95No overall grade 20259Compare
Burnham-On-Sea Infant SchoolAcademy2.2 miles154Requires improvement 2023Compare
Pawlett Primary School AcademyAcademy2.3 miles66Good 20235Compare
Puriton Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles200Good 202361Compare
Brent Knoll Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles180Good 202366Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares West Huntspill Primary Academy 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.

Beats21%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 11 is 12 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 23 · highest 83100

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 28. 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%below
-0.21
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 22 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.14
DfE progress measure; 22 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.03
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well below
-0.23
2024/25; 87 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.11
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 22 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 West Huntspill Primary Academy a good school?

The figures are weak. West Huntspill Primary Academy scores 11 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 21% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 28, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is West Huntspill Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated West Huntspill Primary Academy good at its last full inspection on 3 October 2023.

How good are West Huntspill Primary Academy'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%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does West Huntspill Primary Academy have?

123 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 90 places, so it is 137% full.

Is West Huntspill Primary Academy oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 12 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at West Huntspill Primary Academy?

Pupils were in school 89.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 30% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at West Huntspill Primary Academy?

The average class had 27.0 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
New Road, West Huntspill, Highbridge, TA9 3QE
Telephone
01278 783842
Website
www.westhuntspillprimary.org.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Emma Barker
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Pathway Trust (20 schools)
Local authority
Somerset
Ward
Huntspill
Constituency
Bridgwater
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 April 2021 (new provision)
URN
148531 · LAESTAB 9332052 · UKPRN 10088067
Formerly
West Huntspill Community Primary School

Where these figures come from