Freshford Church School Review 2026: An elite-performing village primary with a serious STEM streak

A small Church of England primary with big results, this Freshford village school has become one of the strongest KS2 performers in England on published measures. Pupils benefit from a tight-knit set-up and a curriculum designed around school-wide “big questions”, with themes such as WORLD MAP & MORAL COMPASS and IMPACT & AGENCY shaping how subjects connect.

Leadership is current and clearly visible, with Mrs Ruth Poole listed as headteacher and recorded as taking up the role from 01 September 2024. The school is an academy converter within The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust (open date 01 April 2018).

This is a village primary where the scale matters. With a published capacity of 160 and a current roll in the low hundreds, pupils are known well, and routines can be consistent without feeling anonymous. That smaller-school dynamic also shapes relationships across year groups; older pupils are regularly positioned as role models, and it is easier to build shared language around behaviour and values.

The Church of England character is not a bolt-on. The school’s stated values include Kindness, Respect, Trust, Resilience and Gratitude, and the ethos is explicitly framed through Christian values. For some families this is an advantage, providing a clear moral framework for assemblies, relationships, and how pupils are encouraged to treat each other. For others, it is worth checking how worship is organised and how inclusive it feels for families of different faiths or none.

A distinctive feature is the school’s confidence in pupil voice. The website includes a short pupil reflection on learning and belonging, which aligns with the way the school describes itself as a close community rather than a purely academic setting. When this works well, it tends to show up in two practical areas parents care about: day-to-day behaviour, and how safe pupils feel reporting concerns.

Leadership is also a current strength from a parent-information perspective. The headteacher is identified consistently across official and school sources, and the school provides clear, practical guidance on the daily routine.

The performance story here is unusually clear, and unusually strong.

In 2024, 100% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, versus an England average of 62%. In reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling, the school’s published scaled scores were 112 (reading), 112 (mathematics), and 111 (GPS). These are high outcomes on measures where England averages typically sit around 100.

Depth matters as much as thresholds. At the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, 57.33% achieved the higher standard, compared with an England average of 8%. For families with academically confident children, that suggests a cohort where stretch is normalised, not reserved for a small top set.

Rankings should always be treated carefully, but as a directional indicator this one is striking. Ranked 88th in England and 1st in Bath for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results place the school among the highest-performing in England (top 2%).

A useful way to read this as a parent is to separate two questions. First, “Will my child be supported to reach expected standards?” The published KS2 outcomes suggest the answer is yes for almost all pupils. Second, “Will my child be challenged beyond the basics?” The higher standard figures indicate that extension work is part of normal classroom life.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view results side by side using the Comparison Tool.

The curriculum is one of the school’s defining features, because it is designed to connect subject knowledge rather than treat subjects as separate silos. The school describes its curriculum planning through seasonal “big question” themes, including WORLD MAP & MORAL COMPASS, BIG BELONGING, and IMPACT & AGENCY. This approach can suit children who learn best when ideas link up across geography, history, science, and writing.

That intent is also visible in the detail. Under WORLD MAP & MORAL COMPASS, published prompts include “Becoming a confident unknower”, “Asking questions to better know the world”, and “Understanding who we are and where we come from, diversity and similarity.” For parents, the implication is that the school is likely to emphasise questioning, vocabulary, and reasoning, not just content coverage.

The most recent inspection material supports that overall picture of academic ambition and structured basics. Ofsted’s June 2022 inspection stated that the school continues to be Good, and described a systematic focus on learning core skills alongside independence and reasoning.

A balanced reading is important. The same inspection noted areas where curriculum sequencing needed to be made more systematic across years, and highlighted that mathematics delivery had some inconsistencies following changes made during lockdown-era remote provision. For parents, that is not necessarily a red flag, but it is a sensible question to raise: how is learning built year on year, and what does that look like in maths now?

As a state primary, the next step is secondary transfer rather than an internal pipeline. What families do next will depend on where they live and their preference for comprehensive, faith-based, or selective pathways across Bath and North East Somerset and neighbouring areas.

What matters most at this stage is transition quality. In small primaries, pupils often need two things in Year 6: academic readiness and confidence navigating a larger environment. The school’s emphasis on independent thinking, public performance opportunities, and structured routines should support that move, especially for pupils who benefit from clear expectations.

For families planning several years ahead, it is worth reading the local authority guidance on secondary admissions early, and mapping realistic travel times. Rural village schooling can be ideal in primary years, but secondary choices can introduce longer commutes.

Demand is real. In the most recent admissions data provided, there were 44 applications for 20 Reception offers, a ratio of 2.2 applications per place, and the entry route is recorded as oversubscribed. That level of demand tends to make the detail of oversubscription criteria important, not theoretical.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Bath and North East Somerset, the local authority’s co-ordinated scheme sets the on-time application deadline as 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026. Parents are asked to respond to the offer by 30 April 2026.

The school is part of a trust that acts as the admission authority for in-year applications, and it publishes a clear year-group admissions limit (for example, Reception PAN 20). For in-year movement, the school indicates that applications are handled through an in-year form and that decisions are issued within 10 school days where the request is for an immediate start.

Open events are presented as tours by arrangement, and the news feed shows that open mornings and afternoons have typically been scheduled in October and November. If you are considering applying in a future cycle, plan on autumn visits and check the school’s current calendar.

Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance patterns and shortlist realistic options, especially when a school is regularly oversubscribed.

Pastoral strength is best judged by how concerns are handled. The latest inspection describes a team approach to care and behaviour, and states that issues such as bullying are taken seriously, with pupils feeling listened to and trusting adults. That kind of culture is often easier to build and maintain in a smaller setting, where staff can spot social dynamics early.

The school also publishes its graduated approach to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It sets out four stages, from universal provision through early interventions (including small-group support, 1:1 reading, and evidence-based interventions such as ELSA and phonics programmes), and onwards to targeted support involving external agencies and individual education plans where needed.

Parents should note that the June 2022 inspection acknowledged that a minority of parents had concerns about SEND provision at that point, while also stating that leaders had recognised those concerns and that provision was improving. The practical implication is simple: if your child has additional needs, ask specifically how plans are reviewed, what interventions are used, and how progress is tracked.

This is where the school’s personality comes through most clearly, and it is not generic.

STEM and competitive robotics

The LEGO Robotics work is unusually serious for a primary. The school’s news record includes participation in FIRST LEGO League competitions, with pupils building and programming robots for mission-based challenges and presenting innovation projects. The benefit is not just technical skill. These competitions demand teamwork, public speaking, iteration after failure, and calm performance under timed pressure, all transferable skills for secondary school.

Music and performance culture

The school also highlights competitive and festival-based performance, including KS2 choir participation in a regional festival context and additional ensemble recognition in the same ecosystem. For pupils who enjoy performing, this provides a structured route to confidence building, with clear goals and deadlines.

Sport and active clubs across the week

The published club timetable includes cricket, choir, football, tennis, netball, multi-sports, art club, and a French lunch club. There is also evidence of participation in local sporting events, including a swimming gala for Years 4 to 6 that references 25m and 50m races. For parents, the practical gain is breadth: not every child needs to be a team-sport enthusiast to find a niche.

Outdoor learning appears as well, including learning days in woodland settings and topic-linked activities built around historical and archaeological thinking.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for typical extras such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

The daily routine is clearly stated. The gate opens at 8.40am and closes at 8.50am, and the school day ends at 3.20pm. Wraparound is published through breakfast club (7.45am to 8.45am) and after-school provision on multiple weekdays, with charges shown for sessions and specialist clubs.

For transport planning, Freshford is a village location with rail access in the area, and families should check realistic commute times for both drop-off and secondary transfer years.

• Oversubscription is a genuine constraint. With 44 applications for 20 offers in the published Reception entry data, admission is competitive and families should keep realistic alternatives in play.

• Faith character is integral. The Church of England ethos and Christian values are central to how the school frames its culture. Families who prefer a fully secular approach should explore how worship and religious education are organised before committing.

• SEND questions deserve detail. The school publishes a structured SEND process and interventions, but the latest inspection also records that some parents had concerns at the time, alongside a stated improvement trajectory. If your child needs additional support, ask for concrete examples of provision and review cadence.

• Primary success can reshape expectations. Very high KS2 outcomes can bring a high-achieving peer group. That suits many children, but some pupils prefer a less academically intense environment.

Freshford Church School combines the intimacy of a village primary with outcomes more typical of the very top tier nationally. The combination of a connected “big question” curriculum, ambitious KS2 results, and standout enrichment such as competitive LEGO robotics makes it a compelling option for families who value both academic stretch and broader development. Best suited to families seeking a Church of England primary with a small-school feel, and who are prepared for oversubscribed admissions.