Buckland Brewer Primary School

Buckland Brewer Primary School is currently rated as requiring improvement overall, having made notable changes since its previous inspection in January 2023. The school is ambitious for all pupils and has implemented modifications to the curriculum aimed at high expectations. While pupils display good behaviour and attitudes, and their personal development is a strength, the school is struggling to ensure that the curriculum effectively supports the learning needs of all students, particularly in terms of building knowledge and addressing gaps in understanding. Despite the positive learning environment, with high attendance and a supportive atmosphere, concerns have been raised regarding the lack of subject expertise among some staff, which affects the delivery of the curriculum. Additionally, the school has not been precise enough in identifying the support required for pupils with special educational needs, hindering their progress. As the school continues to refine its practices, it must focus on improving curriculum implementation to ensure all pupils benefit from effective teaching and support.

Strengths

• High attendance and positive learning environment
• Pupils display good behaviour and respect for others
• Strong personal development opportunities, including extracurricular activities
• Pupils enjoy opportunities for leadership roles
• Effective early reading instruction and promotion of a love for reading

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum does not yet support pupils to build knowledge effectively
• Some staff lack the subject expertise needed to teach the curriculum successfully
• Insufficient precision in identifying and supporting needs of pupils with SEND
• Identified weaknesses in curriculum implementation are not addressed quickly enough

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Buckland Brewer Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.8% of pupils at Buckland Brewer Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Buckland Brewer Primary School had 12.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 38.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.3% of pupils at Buckland Brewer Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Buckland Brewer Primary School received £12,737 and spent £12,135 for each of its 97 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £138,000 (£1,430 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). This school files a single return with the other schools in its federation, so the figures are for the whole federation.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bideford · Devon local authority: places and applications

Buckland Brewer Primary School is part of Atlantic Coast Co-Operative Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Parkham Primary School Bideford
• Woolsery Primary School Bideford
• Appledore School Bideford
• Instow Community Primary and Pre-School Bideford
• Hartland Primary School Bideford

What is Buckland Brewer Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Buckland Brewer Primary School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Buckland Brewer Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Buckland Brewer Primary School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Buckland Brewer Primary School have?

Buckland Brewer Primary School has 49 pupils on roll.

What age range does Buckland Brewer Primary School cover?

Buckland Brewer Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Buckland Brewer Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 33% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Buckland Brewer Primary School?

Buckland Brewer Primary School is at Buckland Brewer, Bideford, Devon, EX39 5LX.