The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Coxley Primary School is a small state primary serving Coxley and surrounding villages on the A39, with Wells and Glastonbury both a short drive away. Size is the defining feature here. With a published capacity of 60, pupils tend to be known well by staff, and mixed-age teaching is a practical necessity rather than a stylistic choice.
Leadership has been stable since Mrs Hayley Hamblin took up the headship in September 2021, and safeguarding leadership is clearly identified on the school’s own information pages.
The latest full inspection outcome is Requires Improvement, but the detailed grading shows a more mixed picture, with strengths recorded in behaviour, attitudes, and personal development.
For day-to-day logistics, the school publishes a clear timetable (doors at 8:40am; finish at 3:20pm) plus breakfast provision from 8:00am and after-school sessions running to 5:30pm on most days.
A small roll changes how a school feels. It usually means older pupils share space, routines, and responsibilities with younger ones, and that becomes part of the culture. Coxley explicitly positions itself as a friendly, caring and hard-working village school, with an emphasis on responsibility, confidence, and enjoyment alongside standards.
The physical setting reinforces the village-school identity. The prospectus describes an early Victorian building, contemporary with the neighbouring church (circa 1840), updated over time and complemented by a purpose-built infant classroom. That blend often suits families who like a traditional core with practical modern additions rather than a wholly new build.
Outdoor space is treated as more than a playground. The school describes a full-sized football pitch, an adventure play area, and a developing conservation area with a pond, vegetable beds, and newly planted shrubs and trees. For children who learn best with regular fresh-air breaks and hands-on experiences, that kind of outdoor resource can be a genuine advantage, especially in a small setting where access is less constrained by year-group timetables.
Values and routines are spelled out in school literature rather than left implicit. The prospectus lists values including Respect, Working Together, Independence, Resilience, Self-Belief, and Kind and Caring, and frames them as the behavioural and learning expectations for the whole community.
In practice, for a small primary, day-to-day academic quality is often best judged through curriculum clarity, reading and phonics approach, and how teaching is adapted across mixed-age classes. Coxley publishes curriculum information and sets out its approach in the school prospectus: it follows the national curriculum and early years framework, and describes whole-school topics used across subjects to build knowledge over a term.
The inspection context matters for interpreting results and progress. The 11 July 2023 Ofsted inspection judged the school Requires Improvement overall, with separate grades that include Good for behaviour and attitudes and Good for personal development.
Mixed-age teaching is central here, because the school is organised into classes that span multiple year groups. The prospectus describes a structure that groups Reception to Year 2 together, Years 3 and 4 together, and Years 5 and 6 together, with teachers adapting content and outcomes to meet differing needs within the same room. This can suit pupils who benefit from revisiting concepts at different depths, and it can also be supportive socially, because younger pupils see older role models daily.
Curriculum breadth is described in conventional terms, with English, mathematics, science, computing, and the foundation subjects, plus religious education and a modern foreign language for Key Stage 2. The prospectus also describes assessment and feedback as ongoing and designed to help pupils understand next steps, alongside regular reporting to families.
Reading, writing, and phonics are flagged in the school’s site navigation as dedicated areas, which usually indicates a school is trying to make its approach visible to parents rather than treating it as internal-only practice.
Quality of Education
Requires Improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires Improvement
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
For most families, transition at the end of Year 6 is the key pathway question. Coxley states that most pupils transfer to The Blue School in Wells after Year 6. This is useful clarity for parents who want a straightforward local route rather than needing to map multiple secondary destinations.
The school also describes being part of the Wells Community Learning Partnership, working with other local schools on shared initiatives and to support a smooth move to secondary. In a small primary, that kind of partnership can broaden opportunities and help pupils feel less like they are moving from a small bubble into a much larger environment in Year 7.
Coxley is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Reception entry is coordinated through the local authority route for starting school.
On demand, the most recent admissions figures provided for this review suggest the school is oversubscribed for the relevant entry route, with 18 applications and 10 offers recorded, which equates to around 1.8 applications per place. That is not the kind of intense competition seen in some urban schools, but in a small village setting it can still mean places are not guaranteed, particularly for families applying from outside the immediate area. )
For September 2026 starting school applications in Somerset, the local authority timeline is clearly published: applications open 29 September 2025, close 15 January 2026, and offer outcomes are issued 16 April 2026.
The school also indicates that families considering a place can arrange an informal discussion or visit, which is often the most useful way to understand how mixed-age classes operate in practice and whether the size feels right for your child.
Helpful tool: if you are shortlisting multiple small primaries around Wells, use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison to keep admissions demand and inspection context side-by-side, rather than relying on memory between open events.
Applications
18
Total received
Places Offered
10
Subscription Rate
1.8x
Apps per place
Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted. The headteacher is named as Designated Safeguarding Lead on the school’s published staff information.
The prospectus frames safeguarding as a whole-community responsibility and references working in partnership with the local authority and relevant multi-agency partners, with staff training described as regular.
Wellbeing also shows up in the club offer. Alongside sport and music, the school has run a Wellbeing Club and a lunchtime “Choose-Day” club aimed at providing calm, quieter activities and a space to talk with a familiar adult. In a small school, these low-key supports can be particularly effective because children are already known well, and staff can spot changes in mood or friendship patterns quickly.
For a small primary, Coxley publishes a surprisingly specific clubs offer, which helps parents understand what is genuinely available rather than relying on generic claims.
Examples from a recent clubs programme include:
Samba Club, with pupils learning Latin rhythms and working towards a live performance as part of a local music event.
Forest School Club, using outdoor activities and a campfire element that signals a practical, nature-based approach rather than indoor-only enrichment.
Choir, including opportunities to perform at services and events during the year.
Rounders and Games Club led by a sports coach, giving structured activity after school.
The prospectus also describes broader arts and community-linked opportunities, including participation in a Christmas carol service at Wells Cathedral School and involvement in a summer Music Spectacular at Strode Theatre, plus a folk dance tradition linked to the Somerset Folk Dance Festival at Wells Cathedral. These named experiences can matter for families who want performance opportunities without needing a larger school to provide them.
The published school day is clear: doors open at 8:40am, morning session starts 8:50am, and the day finishes at 3:20pm.
Wraparound care is also detailed. Breakfast provision is available from 8:00am, and after-school provision is available with sessions running to 4:30pm or 5:30pm depending on what families book.
On transport and geography, the school describes being on the A39 and around two and a half miles from Wells and Glastonbury, which is helpful context for driving routes and bus planning.
Inspection context. The latest overall judgement is Requires Improvement, with some areas graded Good. Families should focus questions on what has changed since July 2023, particularly in the areas graded Requires Improvement.
Small-school realities. Mixed-age classes can be a strong fit, but they are not for every child. Ask how stretch and support are handled when pupils in the same room are working across different year expectations.
Oversubscription at a small capacity. Even modest numbers can create competition when there are limited places. With 18 applications and 10 offers recorded for the relevant entry route, early planning matters.
Wraparound structures change over time. The school publishes wraparound arrangements and providers; confirm the current pattern and availability for your child’s year group before relying on specific sessions.
Coxley Primary School suits families who value a small, village setting where pupils are known well, outdoor space is actively used, and clubs are specific rather than token. The day-to-day structure is clearly published, and wraparound care is a practical plus for working parents. Best suited to children who thrive in mixed-age groupings and families comfortable engaging with a school in an improvement phase following a Requires Improvement inspection outcome.
The school is small and community-focused, with clear routines, wraparound care, and a published curriculum approach. The most recent Ofsted inspection (11 July 2023) judged the school Requires Improvement overall, with Good grades recorded for behaviour and attitudes and personal development, so parents should look closely at how improvement priorities are being implemented.
Reception entry is part of Somerset’s coordinated admissions. For September 2026, applications open 29 September 2025 and close 15 January 2026, with outcomes issued on 16 April 2026.
The latest admissions figures provided for this review indicate oversubscription for the relevant entry route, with 18 applications and 10 offers recorded, which is about 1.8 applications per place. This suggests demand can exceed places even in a small school.
The school day runs from doors opening at 8:40am to a 3:20pm finish. Breakfast provision is available from 8:00am, and after-school sessions run beyond the end of the day for families who need childcare.
The school states that most pupils transfer to The Blue School in Wells at the end of Year 6.
Get in touch with the school directly
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