Rydon Primary School

Rydon Primary School is a larger-than-average primary school within the Education South West Trust. This full section 5 inspection found the school performing at expected standards across most areas, with personal development and wellbeing judged strong. Safeguarding standards are met. Pupils are happy, attend well, behave calmly and respectfully, and achieve broadly in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is inclusive, with prompt identification of SEND and effective support for disadvantaged pupils, and leaders have established an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum supported by strong staff training and governance. Notable strengths include the extensive personal development programme, pupils' deep understanding of values and cultures, wide enrichment and club opportunities, and positive relationships with staff and families. The early years prioritise reading and number, and most children are well prepared for Year 1. Leadership is a strength: staff feel valued, governors and trustees provide robust challenge, and the trust has supported rapid curriculum improvement. The main areas for development are in the early years, where staff interactions do not always extend language and vocabulary, and in the wider curriculum, where expectations of pupils' work do not consistently match the high standards set in English and mathematics. Published data also shows disadvantaged pupils' attainment in some subjects remains below national averages, though the report notes suitable progress from starting points and effective use of additional funding.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Personal development and wellbeing are a strong feature, with an extensive programme tailored to the school's context.
• Pupils show deep understanding of fundamental British values, cultures and religions through visits and discussions.
• Leaders are relentless in pursuing equality, ensuring disadvantaged pupils access the full school offer including clubs.
• Pupils take on responsibility as ambassadors and councillors, demonstrating understanding of democracy.
• Pupils progress well and achieve broadly in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.
• An effective phonics and reading scheme supports pupils to read fluently and in line with national peers.
• SEND and disadvantaged pupils make suitable progress, with gaps quickly identified and addressed.
• Attendance is broadly in line with national averages due to close monitoring and bespoke family support.
• Behaviour is typically calm and respectful, and pupils manage their feelings and emotions well.
• The curriculum is ambitious, carefully sequenced and supported by strong teacher subject knowledge.
• The school is inclusive, promptly identifying SEND and adapting learning so pupils access the same curriculum.
• Leadership and governance are effective, with high-quality staff training and robust trust and governor oversight.
• Pupils feel safe, value the calm room, and enjoy wide clubs, trips and enrichment including a Malawi partnership.
• Early years reading has a high profile, children develop secure number skills and are well prepared for Year 1.

Areas for Improvement

• In the wider curriculum, expectations of pupils' work are not always as high as in English and mathematics, so some pupils do not reach the standard they are capable of.
• Early years staff interactions do not always focus clearly on developing and extending children's language, knowledge and vocabulary.

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 Rydon Primary School attended 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.5% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Rydon 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 Rydon Primary School had 19.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.5% 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, 12.3% of pupils at Rydon Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.9% 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 2024–25 Rydon Primary School received £6,176 and spent £5,938 for each of its 393 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £533,000 (£1,357 per pupil).

Across all 14 schools of Education South West, income was £7,824 and spending £7,754 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.

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All schools in Newton Abbot · Devon local authority: places and applications

Rydon Primary School is part of Education South West, which runs 14 schools. The nearest others:

• Teign School Newton Abbot
• Kingsteignton School Newton Abbot
• South Devon UTC Newton Abbot
• Coombeshead Academy Newton Abbot
• Christow Primary School Exeter
• King Edward VI Community College Totnes
• Wynstream Primary School Academy Exeter
• Dartmouth Academy Dartmouth
• Blackawton Primary School Totnes
• Stoke Fleming Community Primary School Dartmouth

What is Rydon Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rydon Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Rydon Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rydon Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Rydon Primary School have?

Rydon Primary School has 373 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rydon Primary School cover?

Rydon Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Rydon Primary School?

Rydon Primary School is at Rydon Road, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 3LP.