Trent Young's CofE Primary School Review 2026: Small rural Church school with top-quartile outcomes

A small village primary with a big-results profile. With around 140 places on roll and a Published Admission Number of 20 for Reception, Trent Young’s feels intentionally close-knit, with pupils likely to be known well by staff and by each other. It is part of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust and keeps a clear Church of England identity in daily life, including collective worship and links with local clergy and visiting worship leaders.

Academically, the headline is Key Stage 2 performance. In 2024, 88.7% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 62%. In FindMySchool’s primary ranking (based on official data), the school sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England, and ranks 2nd locally in the Sherborne area.

The latest Ofsted inspection (26 November 2024) found the school had taken effective action to maintain the standards from its previous Good judgement.

The school’s identity is rooted in place. Ofsted describes it as sitting at the heart of its rural community, and that local anchoring comes through in the way it talks about belonging, responsibility, and pupils contributing to the wider community.

Christian distinctiveness is not an add-on. The school’s own materials describe collective worship as a key part of the day, with prayer and a rotation of worship leaders (including the local vicar and visiting youth ministry input), plus a Celebration Assembly on Friday afternoons. For families who want a Church school where faith is woven into routines and language, that coherence matters.

There is also a strong outdoors thread. The school describes itself as a Forest School and presents outdoor learning as central rather than occasional enrichment. In practice, that shows up as pupils taking on achievable tasks in woodland settings and developing confidence through practical activity. Class pages reinforce this with concrete examples such as den building, bug hunting, transient art, and mud kitchen style activities.

Leadership is presented consistently as visible and hands-on. The school lists Miss Ros Baker as Headteacher, as well as SENDCo and safeguarding lead, and governance documentation shows her appointment date as 01 November 2023. Ofsted’s most recent report describes a co-headteacher model involving Ros Baker and Sherril Atkins, within the wider Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust structure.

For a small primary, the KS2 picture is unusually strong.

• Expected standard (reading, writing and maths combined): 88.7% in 2024, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (greater depth across reading, writing and maths): 27% in 2024, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Science: 95% met the expected standard in 2024, compared with an England average of 82%.

Scaled scores were also high: reading 108, maths 107, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 108, with a combined total score of 323.

Rankings add context. Ranked 2,252nd in England and 2nd in the Sherborne area for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

What this means for parents is not just “good SATs”. The higher-standard figure in particular suggests the school is not only getting most pupils to the expected threshold, but also stretching a meaningful proportion beyond it, an important indicator for families with academically confident children.

For comparisons across nearby primaries, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing these KS2 indicators side-by-side, particularly expected standard and higher standard rates.

Reading is treated as a central pillar. Ofsted identifies pupils’ love of reading as a strength and describes early reading as a priority from Reception, with an effective phonics approach and books closely matched to taught sounds. Support is described as responsive, with staff alerted quickly when a pupil is at risk of falling behind.

Curriculum design appears deliberate rather than improvised. Ofsted describes a broad, balanced and well-sequenced curriculum with clear mapping of key knowledge across subjects, and staff with strong subject knowledge who explain ideas clearly and check understanding carefully. In mathematics, inspectors describe the use of apparatus and visual representations to build conceptual understanding and mathematical language.

Early years is a positive feature even without on-site nursery provision. Ofsted describes children settling quickly, routines being well established, and independence being promoted from the start. That matters in a school of this size because successful early routines set the tone for calm classrooms across the building.

A balanced reading of the evidence also includes the school’s next step. Ofsted highlights that in a small number of subjects, the skills pupils learn are not as challenging as they could be, limiting the depth of subject-specific skill development over time. For families with children who are already strong in particular foundation subjects, this is worth probing on a visit, for example, how subject progression is planned and how challenge is built for older pupils.

Most pupils move on at the end of Year 6 to local secondary provision. The school states that many children choose to transfer to The Gryphon School and that it is one of the recognised feeder schools.

In practice, transition planning in a small school tends to be personal. The advantage of a close-knit setting is that staff can usually tailor the handover to the child, particularly where additional needs or confidence issues are in play. Ofsted reports that pupils leave well prepared for the next stage, a useful reassurance for parents weighing a small primary against a larger alternative.

For families targeting a specific secondary, it is still wise to check current catchment arrangements and oversubscription criteria annually, since these can shift with local demographics and policy updates.

Places at entry are competitive. In the most recent admissions dataset provided, 48 applications were made for 20 offers for Reception entry, and the school is recorded as oversubscribed. That is roughly 2.4 applications per place.

The Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust admissions policy confirms a Published Admission Number of 20 for Reception.

For September 2026 entry, Dorset Council’s coordinated timetable sets an on-time deadline of 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026 (late outcomes follow later in the spring). The Trust policy aligns with this timetable and also makes clear that, if families seek priority under the faith criterion, the Supplementary Information Form must be returned by 15 January 2026.

Oversubscription is structured in a typical Church school pattern, with priority for looked-after or previously looked-after children, then certain medical or social needs, then catchment and sibling categories. There is also a faith criterion route for families outside catchment who can evidence regular Christian practice at a recognised church or religious group, supported via the Supplementary Information Form. Where a tie-break is needed, allocation is based on straight-line distance.

If you are using distance planning as part of a move, FindMySchool’s Map Search is helpful for checking your likely proximity to the school gates, then sense-checking that against demand patterns locally. Even where a school uses distance as a tie-break, admissions outcomes can be sensitive to sibling patterns and application volumes, so treat any plan as probabilistic rather than guaranteed.

In-year admissions are handled through Dorset’s in-year coordination arrangements, with applications possible at any point in the school year.

Pastoral care appears to be one of the school’s defining strengths. The most recent inspection describes a welcoming and caring environment where pupils feel happy, safe and well looked after, alongside high expectations for behaviour and warm relationships with staff.

The school also builds responsibility early. Pupils are described as taking on leadership roles such as peace makers and school buddies, which typically helps a small community run smoothly because expectations are modelled peer-to-peer, not just enforced adult-to-child.

SEND support is positioned as inclusive rather than separate. Ofsted describes high expectations for pupils with SEND, with support enabling access to the same curriculum as peers over time. This is the kind of finding that is especially relevant in a small school, where staffing flexibility can be constrained but relationships can be strong.

The November 2024 Ofsted inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

This is not a school where “extra-curricular” is just a list on a website. The evidence points to participation being part of how the school builds confidence and community.

Forest School is the clearest example. The school describes outdoor learning as a vehicle for motivation, emotional development, and social confidence. Class updates add real texture: pupils choosing activities such as den building, digging, bug hunting, mud painting, and creating transient art, all of which suit a primary-age cohort because they combine physical movement, collaboration and vocabulary development.

Sport and daily activity look consistent rather than occasional. The school describes two PE lessons per week and daily physical activity through approaches such as the Daily Mile, outdoor gym equipment, and classroom yoga. Swimming is included for Year 4 as part of PE provision.

Clubs are practical and age-targeted. Current listings include Arts and Crafts, Gardening, Sewing, Netball, and football options for different year groups. Ofsted also references activities such as sign language and board games, reinforcing that the offer is not solely sports-focused.

The wider development piece is also emphasised, with pupils described as developing respect for different religions and faiths, fitting for a Church school that aims to combine clear Christian practice with a broad understanding of modern Britain.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The published school day runs 08:30 to 15:00, with doors opening at 08:20 for pupils to go to classrooms before learning begins. Wraparound care is clearly defined: Breakfast Club runs 07:30 to 08:20 and after-school care runs 15:00 to 17:30, with provision described as staffed by qualified school staff and including light refreshments.

For travel, this is a rural village setting in the Sherborne area. Many families will find that walking, cycling, or short car journeys are the practical norm, and parking and drop-off routines are worth checking directly if you are new to village-school logistics.

• A very small intake. Reception offers are set at 20 places per year group. In the most recent admissions dataset, 48 applications competed for those places. This suits families who want small-school familiarity, but it can make entry harder and class composition less flexible year to year.

• Faith criteria can matter in oversubscription. The admissions policy includes a faith criterion route for families outside catchment, supported by a Supplementary Information Form and evidence of regular worship. Families who want a Church of England school culture will see this as aligned; families who prefer a fully non-faith admissions profile should weigh it carefully.

• Curriculum depth is a stated improvement point. The latest inspection notes that in a small number of subjects, pupils are not challenged as much as they could be, limiting the development of subject-specific skills over time. Ask what has changed since that inspection, especially in Key Stage 2 foundation subjects.

• Wraparound provision is a strength, but check fit. Breakfast and after-school care are available, which is valuable in a rural area. As with any small school, places, pricing and session structure can change, so confirm current availability if you rely on it.

Trent Young’s combines the feel of a village Church primary with results that are well above England average. The strongest case comes from KS2 outcomes and the consistency signalled by the latest inspection, alongside a coherent ethos where collective worship, community responsibility and outdoor learning all fit together.

Best suited to families who want a small, faith-informed school where reading and learning routines are taken seriously, and where Forest School style outdoor learning is part of the identity rather than a marketing line. The main challenge is admission, especially for families outside catchment without sibling or faith-priority routes.