Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School

Lady Seaward’s Church of England Primary School is a small primary in the First Federation Trust that continues to provide a strong education. Inspectors found a well-planned and well-delivered curriculum, positive relationships, and a commitment to pupils’ academic and personal growth. Pupils behave well, parents are highly positive, and safeguarding is effective. The school’s personal development work is particularly strong, with values of compassion, aspiration and resilience woven through daily life from the early years onwards. The early years provision is well cared for, and children get off to a good start. Most pupils achieve well and are well prepared for their next stage. Staff have good subject knowledge, activities are engaging, and most pupils are supported well to become confident readers and writers. The school is also improving how it identifies and supports disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND. Since the last inspection, the school has opened a Nursery class, including provision for two-year-olds. There is one clear area for improvement. For a small number of pupils, some reading and writing activities are too complicated, so they do not secure the basics before moving on. As a result, these pupils struggle to become fluent readers and writers, and a small number do not develop secure enough knowledge in English and mathematics for the next stage of their education. The trust should ensure every child gains the basic knowledge needed to become fluent quickly in reading, writing and mathematics.

Strengths

• A well-thought-out curriculum is delivered consistently well by staff
• Activities are carefully planned to interest and enthuse pupils
• Staff subject knowledge helps pupils know and remember more
• Most pupils are well supported to become confident readers and writers
• Phonics and early writing are taught well, with reading and spelling linked clearly
• Children in Nursery and Reception are well cared for and build strong relationships with staff
• The school is increasingly adapting provision so disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND get the support they need
• Values of compassion, aspiration and resilience run through the school
• Pupils behave well in and around school and are attentive in lessons
• Personal development is exceptionally well planned and delivered
• Attendance is carefully monitored
• Parents are extremely positive about the school’s care and family atmosphere
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Some reading and writing activities are too complicated for a small number of pupils
• A small number of pupils do not secure the basics quickly enough to become fluent readers and writers
• A small number of pupils do not develop secure enough knowledge in English and mathematics for the next stage
• The trust should ensure every child gains the basic knowledge needed to become fluent in reading, writing and mathematics

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 Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.9% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Lady Seaward's Church of England 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 Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School had 18.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 24.6% 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, 8.7% of pupils at Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.7% 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 Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School received £7,169 and spent £8,031 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£277 per pupil).

Across all 29 schools of The First Federation Trust, income was £7,461 and spending £7,535 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 Exeter · Devon local authority: places and applications

Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School is part of The First Federation Trust, which runs 29 schools. The nearest others:

• Brixington Primary Academy Exmouth
• Rockbeare Church of England Primary School and Pre-School Exeter
• Gatehouse Primary Academy Dawlish
• Westcliff Primary Academy Dawlish
• Sidmouth Church of England Primary School Sidmouth
• Chudleigh Knighton Church of England Primary School Newton Abbot
• Willowbank Primary School Cullompton
• Blackpool Church of England Primary School Newton Abbot
• Colyton Primary Academy Colyton
• Musbury Primary School Axminster

What is Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School have?

Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School has 104 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School cover?

Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School?

Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School is at Clyst St George, Exeter, Devon, EX3 0RE.