SchoolScoresDunster First School
Community school · Primary, ages 4 to 9 · Mixed
13 St George's Street, Dunster, Minehead, TA24 6RX
01643 821254 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 17 September 2014.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 26 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
Minehead comparisons use the 4 of its 7 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 3 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Minehead | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school 4th highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 9% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 83% | 88% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school 3rd highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 15% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 87% | 86% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 3rd highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 11% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 74% | 76% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 18 parents whose child had been bullied 3rd highest of 3 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 16% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 39% | 43% | 50% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 39 parents who had raised a concern 2nd highest of 3 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 14% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 67% | 67% | 76% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 4th highest of 4 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Minehead. Higher than 10% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 72%said yes | 79% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Minehead figures pool parents at the Minehead schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Somerset. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 17 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 17 |
| Of those, offered a place | 16 (94%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 32 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 4th highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 43% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 18.4% | 20.9%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 5th highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 27% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 1.9% | 3.2%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 7th highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 2% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 4.8% | 12.8%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 3rd highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 28% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 3.9% | 12.3%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 7th lowest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Lower than 5% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 7.8% | 5.4%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 5th lowest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Lower than 19% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 18.4% | 12.7%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 5th lowest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Lower than 16% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 4.9 | 3.6 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 5th lowest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Lower than 20% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 4th highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 21% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 17.7 | 21.3 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3rd highest of 7 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 37% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 3rd highest of 3 state primary schools in Minehead. Higher than 63% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 16.7% | 15.7%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Minehead First School 1.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024)
- St Michael's CofE First School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025
- Timberscombe CofE First School 2.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Dunster First School's Ofsted rating?
Dunster First School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 17 September 2014. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 26 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Would parents recommend Dunster First School?
72% of the 53 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Dunster First School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Dunster First School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 17 families put Dunster First School as their first choice for 17 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 16 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 123643.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.