School profile

Mells Church First School

Primary · Academy converter · Frome, BA11 3QE

Good

Map showing Mells Church First School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

Mells Church First School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 14 Sept 2016

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages5 to 9
Pupils51
GenderMixed
Religious characterChurch of England
Head teacherMr Rory McGrath
TrustTHE BATH AND WELLS DIOCESAN ACADEMIES TRUST
Local authoritySomerset
Opened01 Dec 2024
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 151284.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils51
Girls22
Boys29
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.7.8%
First language not English0%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.90
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.43.3%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.6
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.2
Average class size17

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
98%
Irish
2%
Traveller of Irish heritage
0%
Other White
0%
Gypsy/Roma
0%
White and Black Caribbean
0%
White and Black African
0%
White and Asian
0%
Other mixed
0%
Indian
0%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher13.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.7.4
Teachers (FTE)3.87
Teaching assistants (FTE)3.04
Support staff (FTE)4.4

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.11
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.22
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.10
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.10
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolSomersetEngland
Overall absence5.8%, worse than England, worse than Somerset5.3%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.13.3%, similar to England, similar to Somerset13.1%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.2%, worse than England, worse than Somerset1%1%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate1.7%
Pupils with one or more suspensions1.7%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Frequently asked questions about Mells Church First School

What is Mells Church First School's Ofsted rating?

Mells Church First School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 14 Sept 2016.

How hard is it to get into Mells Church First School?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Mells Church First School made 11 offers from 22 applications (2 per offer), and 10 of 10 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Mells Church First School?

Mells Church First School has 51 pupils aged 5 to 9.

What is the capacity of Mells Church First School?

Mells Church First School had 90 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Mells Church First School?

At Mells Church First School, the average class had 17 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 13.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Mells Church First School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Mells Church First School missed 5.8% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 13.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.