Blackpool Church of England Primary School

Blackpool Church of England Primary School has shown good overall effectiveness according to its recent inspection, maintaining a strong educational experience for its pupils. The school has recently undergone significant changes, transitioning towards improved curriculum delivery and educational practices following a long period without routine inspections. Despite this progress, the school is still refining its approach, especially in ensuring consistency across teaching practices and staff responses to student needs. The head of school has garnered support from the First Federation Trust, which has been vital in helping the school adapt and enhance its educational quality. Strengths include a solid early years provision that prepares children well for future learning and an inclusive environment where pupils display respect and positive attitudes. While the curriculum has been recognized for its ambition, areas requiring improvement have been identified, particularly in providing comprehensive expertise in certain subject areas. The school is actively addressing these concerns, working to embed changes and improve staff training to foster greater enthusiasm and success in learning among pupils.

Strengths

• Polite and welcoming pupils who take pride in their school.
• Strong opportunities for pupil responsibility through various roles.
• Effective early years provision that prepares children for key stage 1.
• Recent improvements in curriculum design supporting better learning.
• Inclusive environment with respect and tolerance for differences.
• Growing strength in support for pupils with SEND through specialized provisions.

Areas for Improvement

• Some inconsistency in staff responses to pupils' learning and emotional needs.
• Variations in curriculum development leading to uneven teaching effectiveness.
• Need for more teacher expertise in certain subject areas to enhance learning.
• Lack of clarity and strategy in some aspects of the school's provision.

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 Blackpool Church of England Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.6% 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, 1.5% of pupils at Blackpool Church of England Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Blackpool Church of England Primary School had 19.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.1% 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, 13.1% of pupils at Blackpool Church of England 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 Blackpool Church of England Primary School received £6,533 and spent £7,066 for each of its 268 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £74,000 (£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 Newton Abbot · Devon local authority: places and applications

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

• Chudleigh Knighton Church of England Primary School Newton Abbot
• Westcliff Primary Academy Dawlish
• Gatehouse Primary Academy Dawlish
• Brixington Primary Academy Exmouth
• Lady Seaward's Church of England Primary School Exeter
• Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School Kingsbridge
• Rockbeare Church of England Primary School and Pre-School Exeter
• Whitchurch Community Primary School Tavistock
• Sidmouth Church of England Primary School Sidmouth
• Salcombe Church of England Primary School Salcombe

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

The latest Ofsted rating for Blackpool Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Blackpool Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Blackpool Church of England Primary School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Blackpool Church of England Primary School have?

Blackpool Church of England Primary School has 244 pupils on roll.

What age range does Blackpool Church of England Primary School cover?

Blackpool Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Blackpool Church of England Primary School?

Blackpool Church of England Primary School is at Liverton, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6JB.