Musbury Primary School

Musbury Primary School has effectively maintained the high standards identified in its previous inspection, demonstrating a nurturing and inclusive environment that supports learning and development. The school fosters positive relationships, encourages pupils to be kind and considerate, and promotes high expectations for achievement. Parents appreciate the school’s commitment to its pupils and the strong community ties evident at Musbury. The school benefits from the support of The First Federation Trust, ensuring robust curricular development and effective identification and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Committed and nurturing school environment.
• Strong community relationships.
• Effective identification and support for pupils with SEND.
• Well-structured and coherent curriculum.
• Strong focus on early reading and phonics.
• Clear behavior expectations leading to a calm and orderly environment.
• Emphasis on personal development and the importance of health.

Areas for Improvement

• Uneven teaching expertise across subjects affects some pupils' learning.

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 Musbury Primary School attended 95.8% 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, 2.8% of pupils at Musbury 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 Musbury Primary School had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 13.2% of pupils at Musbury Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.5% 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 Musbury Primary School received £14,591 and spent £13,962 for each of its 36 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £10,000 (£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 Axminster · Devon local authority: places and applications

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

• Colyton Primary Academy Colyton
• Axminster Community Primary Academy Axminster
• Mrs Ethelston's CofE Primary Academy Lyme Regis
• Membury Primary Academy Axminster
• Hawkchurch Church of England School Axminster
• Charmouth Primary School Bridport
• St Andrew's CofE Primary Academy Axminster
• Marshwood CofE Primary Academy Bridport
• Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy Thorncombe
• Sidmouth Church of England Primary School Sidmouth

What is Musbury Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Musbury Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Musbury Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Musbury Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Musbury Primary School have?

Musbury Primary School has 53 pupils on roll.

What age range does Musbury Primary School cover?

Musbury Primary School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is Musbury Primary School?

Musbury Primary School is at Church Hill, Musbury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8BB.