Schools by area › Somerset › Bowlish Infant School
Bowlish Infant School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–7 · Community school
Bowlish, Wells Road, Shepton Mallet BA4 5JQ · bowlishinfantschool.org.uk · 01749 342514
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Jul 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 114
- 97% of 117 places
- Local authority
- Somerset
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 14%
- First language not English
- 10.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 44 families put the school first and 39 places were offered; 86% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 39 | 44 | 1.1▲ | 86% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 39 | 41 | 1.1▲ | 93% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 39 | 40 | 1▲ | 95% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 38 | 38 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 38 | 50 | 1.3▲ | 74% |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Bowlish Infant School on 7 July 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Needs attention
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 7 Jul 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Needs attention |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Needs attention |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Apr 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Apr 2022Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Mar 2010Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good
What parents said
100% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (29 replies, to 2 April 2023).
- Recommend
- 100%
- Replies
- 29
- 27% · 2 Apr 2023
based on the 48% who raised concerns
based on the 14% who had a child bullied