Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School

Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School is a community primary and nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 7. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and inspectors judged the school to require improvement across all key areas, down from its previous good grade. The school is caring and pupils are safe, and phonics teaching and the nursery provision are particular strengths. Safeguarding is effective. However, leaders are not ambitious enough for what pupils can achieve, and pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The reading curriculum beyond phonics is not clearly defined, assessment is not used precisely enough to check what pupils know and remember, and tasks are often the same for all pupils. Pupils with SEND experience similar inconsistencies, and the school does not monitor the impact of support robustly. Behaviour expectations are not high enough, low-level disruption is common, and persistent absence remains too high. Personal development is not as effective as it should be, particularly in building pupils’ confidence, resilience and understanding of different cultures and beliefs. Leadership and governance also require improvement: leaders do not check the impact of their actions rigorously, governors do not challenge information robustly, and some staff feel unnecessary pressure because workload and well-being are not always considered. The nursery gives children a strong start, but provision becomes inconsistent in Reception. Parents have mixed views, with some feeling concerns are not communicated with effectively.

Strengths

• Phonics teaching is a clear strength, with well-trained staff implementing the scheme effectively.
• Pupils who fall behind in phonics are identified quickly and receive the support they need.
• Pupils are well cared for and feel safe, with staff they can speak to about concerns.
• The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities that develop pupils’ talents and interests.
• Outdoor learning helps pupils learn new skills, such as cutting wood.
• The nursery gives children a strong start, with early identification of needs and imaginative activities.
• Children in nursery are happy and well supported by adults.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Pupils benefit from regular swimming lessons in the school’s swimming pool.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders are not ambitious enough for what pupils can achieve.
• Pupils do not achieve as well as they should and are not well prepared for the next stage of education.
• Leadership and governance do not make robust or rigorous checks on the curriculum’s impact.
• The reading curriculum beyond phonics is not clearly defined or ambitious enough.
• Assessment is not used precisely to check what pupils know and remember.
• Most pupils regularly complete the same task regardless of ability.
• Pupils with SEND experience inconsistencies, and the impact of support is not robustly monitored.
• SEND targets are not specific enough to help pupils learn effectively.
• Reception provision is inconsistent, and continuous provision lacks ambition.
• Staff do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour.
• Low-level disruption is common and not effectively challenged.
• Some pupils have not developed positive attitudes to learning.
• Persistent absence remains too high.
• Personal development provision does not build pupils’ confidence and resilience well enough.
• Pupils have limited understanding of different religions and cultures.
• School trips are not always associated with classroom learning.
• The school does not always consider staff workload and well-being, causing unnecessary pressure.
• Governors accept information from leaders without robust challenge.
• Some parents feel the school does not communicate effectively when they raise concerns.

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 Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School attended 92.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.2% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery 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 Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School had 21.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 35.4% 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, 27.1% of pupils at Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School received £7,678 and spent £8,405 for each of its 191 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £59,000 (£308 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).

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• Secondary Schools

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

What is Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School have?

Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School cover?

Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School?

Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School is at Marlborough Road, Ilfracombe, Devon, EX34 8JL.