St Julian's Church School

A village primary with ambitions beyond its village: St Julian's Church School combines mixed-age classes in Wellow with French lessons, performance opportunities at Bath venues and a substantial emphasis on pupil responsibility. This Church of England academy serves Wellow and neighbouring areas in Somerset. Its whole-school roll is 112 pupils, covering ages four to eleven.

Isobel Mills is Headteacher. Reading, Christian values and personal development give the school its direction, while the summer 2025 results show a clear distinction between success at the expected standard and achievement at greater depth. For families, the attraction is a small school with purposeful teaching and opportunities to contribute. The questions to ask concern academic stretch, curriculum progression and the practical availability of places.

Oak Class accommodates Reception; Chestnut Class brings together Years 1 and 2, Beech Class Years 3 and 4, and Sycamore Class Years 5 and 6. These are mixed-age teaching groups, rather than a separate class for each year. Parents should explore how work changes between the two ages within a class, especially when comparing St Julian's with a school organised into single-year groups.

Relationships are a strength. Pupils cooperate across ages, take learning seriously and have positive connections with adults. Behaviour supports concentration, and play provides another opportunity to learn how to work together. The school belongs to the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership and converted to academy status in December 2018. Its village identity sits within that wider trust structure.

Christianity shapes daily routines and the school's approach to relationships. Collective worship usually follows registration, although its position in the day can change. Religious education connects Biblical stories with the Anglican calendar, including Easter and Christmas, while also addressing other beliefs. Families with different levels of religious observance should consider their comfort with this regular Christian emphasis.

Responsibility has a practical expression. Year 6 House Captains have an established role, while other leadership teams change to suit the children and the school's priorities. The school aims to make contribution possible at different ages, beginning with responsibility within the classroom and developing towards supporting others. This gives personal development a useful focus: children have opportunities to act on their ideas, rather than simply discuss good citizenship.

In the 2024/25 school year, with results from summer 2025, 81% of pupils met the expected standard across reading, writing and mathematics, compared with 62% across England. That is a persuasive indicator of success in the core subjects. It also needs the context of a cohort of 16 pupils: each child's result has a substantial influence on the percentages.

These are proprietary FindMySchool rankings built from official data. For KS2 results, St Julian's ranks 4,382nd of 14,951 in England, the top 29.3%. (Ranked against all schools in England with published KS2 results, state and independent.) Its overall England position is 5,313th. Within Bath and North East Somerset, it ranks 20th. Its broader ranking position sits in the middle band of schools in England, alongside the stronger comparison at the expected standard in the core subjects.

Mathematics was the clearest subject strength in summer 2025: 94% reached the expected standard and 31% achieved a high score. The average scaled score was 107. Reading had an average scaled score of 106, with 81% at the expected standard and 25% achieving a high score. Both averages were above the expected-standard reference point of 100.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling also averaged 106 in summer 2025, although 69% reached the expected standard and 25% achieved a high score. In science, 81% reached the expected standard, close to the England figure of 82%. These figures show why it is useful to examine subjects separately rather than rely on a single headline.

The important qualification is greater depth. In summer 2025, 0% achieved the higher standard across reading, writing and mathematics, against 8% in England; greater-depth writing was also 0%. Parents of confident writers should ask how additional challenge works in practice.

Ofsted confirmed that the school remained Good on 19 April 2023, following the predecessor's Good judgement in September 2018. That original judgement is now more than five years old; the later ungraded visit provides the more recent assessment of how the school was operating.

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised provides the structure for phonics. Reading begins in Reception, with books matched to the sounds children have learnt and support when a child falls behind. Reading practice includes individual sessions, daily practice and whole-class reading. Access to both classroom books and the school library gives pupils opportunities to move from decoding towards reading for interest.

Reception combines learning chosen by children with activities directed by adults. Children can use indoor and outdoor spaces, and daily phonics is part of the provision. This matters for families looking for an introduction to school that includes play and exploration alongside explicit teaching.

Mathematics uses extended topic blocks, allowing time to consolidate before moving on. Numicon, Dienes and counters make ideas tangible before pupils work with pictures and abstract calculations. Children discuss different methods of reaching an answer. Teaching also revisits basic concepts when assessment reveals gaps, so an uncertain foundation can be addressed before the next topic becomes more demanding.

Across the wider curriculum, a two-year planning cycle accommodates mixed-age classes. Knowledge Organisers identify the content for individual units, and regular retrieval activities revisit earlier learning. History makes local connections through the railway, Romans and Georgians; a classroom timeline helps pupils understand chronology even when topics are not taught in date order. Computing follows Purple Mash, and Years 3 to 6 learn French through La Jolie Ronde. These named approaches give parents concrete starting points for discussing what their child will learn.

Year 6 preparation includes a Jigsaw lesson addressing the move to secondary school. Within the Changing Me work, pupils also consider growing up and future changes. This gives the transition an emotional dimension as well as an academic one: children have space to think about what leaving primary school will mean.

The July 2026 Leavers’ Service celebrated the achievements of the departing Year 6 pupils. It is a fitting expression of the school's Christian character and offers a shared ending to primary school for pupils and families.

For parents, secondary preparation is worth discussing alongside reading, writing and mathematics. Ask how information about an individual child's learning and support will be passed on, and what contact takes place with their next school. A named breakdown of secondary destinations and school-specific transition arrangements would help families assess this further. This is not published in the evidence we hold.

Reception applications go through the Bath and North East Somerset admissions team. Children start at the beginning of the school year in which they turn five. For September 2027 Reception entry, families are invited to arrange school tours. A one-to-one visit can be booked at a suitable time, and group open-day events also take place during the year. Confirm the available dates and arrange the visit with the school office.

Demand deserves attention. In 2025, there were 31 applications and 16 offers, and Reception entry was oversubscribed. That history makes it sensible to prepare an application carefully; it does not establish the outcome for a later year. Check the criteria applying to the intended entry year, including whether any supplementary information is required. Christian character alone should not be treated as an explanation of who receives priority.

For a move into an existing year group, there is an in-year application form. The school strongly recommends a visit with the child before applying. Where an in-year place is offered, acceptance must be confirmed in writing, and the place then remains available for 28 school days from the school's acceptance date. That condition matters for families coordinating a house move or another school's leaving arrangements.

Reception induction begins before September. After offers, families are invited to Getting to Know You sessions, and a New Parents’ Information Evening takes place in the summer term. Additional summer visits allow children to meet their teacher and explore their classroom. Children attending Magic Box who have a September place can spend extra time with Reception, accompanied by their pre-school leaders. September starts are staggered in small groups. For children joining later, a taster visit is offered where possible and a buddy helps with the first days.

Support has a named person and a named space. Peta Winchester is a trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, and the ELSA Room provides a place for this work. Support can address worries, bereavement, friendships, self-esteem and managing emotions. Families can begin with the class teacher or speak to Miss Mills or Mrs Mapstone. The school encourages parents to raise concerns early, before difficulties become more serious.

Ceri Mapstone is Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for SEND and is the SENCo. The Graduated Approach follows Assess, Plan, Do and Review, involving children, families and relevant professionals. Its value is the repeated review of support: a plan should change when a child's needs or progress require it. Young carers can receive individual wellbeing support, including ELSA or additional Forest School, according to their circumstances.

The Thrive approach informs behaviour management, with an emphasis on understanding emotional development and teaching self-regulation. Positive behaviour receives recognition through House Points, Celebration Assemblies and Headteacher Awards. The school aims to use praise in ways appropriate to the individual child, including considering whether recognition in front of a class will suit them.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective in April 2023. Children knew how to raise worries, and staff responded promptly when bullying occurred. Isobel Mills is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, with Karen Parker as deputy. Jigsaw supports relationship education throughout the school; Year 6 also learns about conception and birth. Parents are informed annually about the programme and may request withdrawal from the PSHE lessons explicitly teaching human reproduction. That condition is specific to those lessons.

Performance is a substantial part of the offer. Weekly individual or small-group instrumental lessons include violin, clarinet, guitar and piano. A specialist teacher teaches singing and musical notation across the classes, and a professionally trained singer leads a lunchtime singing club. Together, these provide different ways to participate, from an individual instrument to shared singing.

The performance opportunities reach beyond school assemblies. They include the Egg theatre, Bath Abbey and Wells Cathedral, alongside the Dance Umbrella competition at Bath Forum and the Wellow Arts trail. These are opportunities described by the school, rather than a promise that every child will perform at every venue. For an interested pupil, they give creative work an audience and a purpose beyond a classroom exercise.

Arts week introduces activities such as photography, circus skills, African drumming and mud painting. Local artists and specialists from secondary schools, academies and colleges contribute workshops. Beech and Sycamore have performed The Greatest Show, while Oak and Chestnut have staged a nativity in church. Different ages therefore have examples of shared performance, with preparation, cooperation and confidence all involved.

Trips also connect experience with lessons. Visits to Radstock Museum and Stonehenge have helped pupils understand history. In April 2023, pupils spoke enthusiastically about Bordeaux and Belfast visits through the Erasmus project and what they learnt about other cultures. These are examples from that period, rather than confirmation of a future travel programme.

Sport and inclusion have useful smaller-scale examples. In March 2025, two Year 5 pupils attended a sports leadership day at Bath University, learning to lead activities with children from other schools. A February 2025 ten pin bowling session took six children to Bath Leisure Centre. Both illustrate participation beyond ordinary lessons, with one centred on leadership and the other on a supportive group activity.

The school opens at 8.40am, registration is at 8.55am and the day ends at 3.15pm. Before- and after-school care is provided on site. If a child is collected late, supervision transfers to After School Club and a charge applies. Confirm the care sessions and booking arrangements before relying on them for work commitments. Wraparound opening hours and transport arrangements: this is not published in the evidence we hold.

Uniform requires branding on the sweatshirt or cardigan and the PE hoodie; other items can be unbranded. Second-hand uniform is available in a small supply through the office or PTA. Wellington boots and waterproof trousers and coat are playtime essentials, so the kit extends beyond classroom clothing.

As a state-funded school, St Julian's has no tuition fees. Check term dates when planning family commitments; holidays in term time are not normally permitted. A Christmas lunch celebration involved the hall and Beech's classroom, with crackers provided by the PTA, but families should confirm ordinary meal arrangements separately.

Curriculum progression. Some subjects needed a clearer account of the knowledge pupils should acquire, so that later learning could build securely on earlier work. This was the improvement priority in April 2023. Ask leaders to explain the subsequent changes and show how progression now works across mixed-age classes.

Academic stretch. The summer 2025 cohort achieved well at the expected standard overall, but the combined higher-standard measure and greater-depth writing were both 0%. Families of pupils already working confidently should explore challenge in writing and how teachers develop depth across subjects.

Christian daily life. Collective worship is a regular part of the timetable, and Christian principles shape behaviour and religious education. Parents with other beliefs or no faith should consider whether this fits their expectations, while recognising that pupils also learn about other religions and world views.

Place availability. Reception was oversubscribed in 2025. A visit can clarify whether the school suits a child, but families should also examine the entry-year criteria and keep other suitable choices in mind. Existing-year applications have their own acceptance arrangements, which may affect the timing of a move.

St Julian's is best suited to families seeking a small village primary with explicit Christian values, mixed-age learning and meaningful opportunities for children to contribute. Reading has a clear teaching structure, pastoral support includes an ELSA Room and named staff, and music and performance add substance to the wider offer.

The academic picture is encouraging at the expected standard, with mathematics a clear strength in summer 2025. Greater-depth writing and the curriculum progression improvement priority deserve closer discussion. A useful visit should therefore combine questions about care and participation with examples of demanding work, so parents can judge how well the school will support their own child's next steps.