Buckfastleigh Primary School

Buckfastleigh Primary has made significant improvements since its last inspection, now rated as good overall with notable strengths in its inclusive environment and outstanding early years provision. The school prides itself on creating a caring community where pupils feel safe and respected, fostering exemplary behaviour and positive attitudes towards learning. The leadership and management are effective, with the new headteacher driving rapid progress in key areas, supported by the Westcountry Schools Trust. This inspection marks a crucial point for the school as it builds on its previous underperformance, working diligently to ensure all pupils achieve their potential.

Strengths

• Inclusive and supportive school community
• Outstanding early years provision
• Effective teaching of reading and phonics
• Strong relationships between staff and students
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum
• High expectations of behaviour and attitudes
• Active engagement in social responsibilities and charities
• Good attendance practices supported by the school

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum in some subjects

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 Buckfastleigh Primary School attended 95.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.4% 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 Buckfastleigh 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 Buckfastleigh Primary School had 23.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 66.7% 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, 25.0% of pupils at Buckfastleigh Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.1% 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 2024–25 Buckfastleigh Primary School received £8,163 and spent £8,446 for each of its 121 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £67,000 (-£556 per pupil).

Across all 31 schools of Westcountry Schools Trust, income was £7,571 and spending £7,467 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Buckfastleigh Primary School is part of Westcountry Schools Trust, which runs 31 schools. The nearest others:

• Ashburton Primary School Newton Abbot
• South Dartmoor Community College Ashburton
• Ugborough Primary School Ivybridge
• Stowford School Ivybridge
• Ivybridge Community College Ivybridge
• Manor Primary School, Ivybridge Ivybridge
• Woodlands Park Primary School Ivybridge
• Ermington Primary School Ivybridge
• Holbeton Primary School Plymouth
• Glen Park Primary School Plymouth

What is Buckfastleigh Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Buckfastleigh Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Buckfastleigh Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Buckfastleigh Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Buckfastleigh Primary School have?

Buckfastleigh Primary School has 112 pupils on roll.

What age range does Buckfastleigh Primary School cover?

Buckfastleigh Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Buckfastleigh Primary School?

Buckfastleigh Primary School is at Bossell Road, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0DD.