High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy has demonstrated strong performance across various domains, showing a commitment to high standards in both academic and personal development. With a strong culture of safeguarding, pupils feel safe and secure, which has contributed to high attendance rates and exemplary behavior within the school. The early years foundation stage is particularly effective, with experienced staff providing a nurturing environment that emphasizes vocabulary development and phonics, setting a solid foundation for future learning.

Strengths

• High attendance rates reflect pupils' enjoyment of school.
• Strong emphasis on safeguarding creates a positive environment.
• Effective early years education promotes vocabulary and phonics development.
• Staff are skilled and knowledgeable, effectively supporting all pupils' needs.
• Pupils demonstrate exemplary behavior and self-discipline.
• A well-rounded curriculum integrates local history and cultural education.

Areas for Improvement

• Some gaps in assessment practices lead to inconsistent teaching adjustments.

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 High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 13.8% 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 High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy 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 High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy had 9.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.9% 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, 8.3% of pupils at High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.2% 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 High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy received £8,951 and spent £8,130 for each of its 85 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £69,000 (£822 per pupil).

Across all 8 schools of Team Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,762 and spending £7,809 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 Torridge · Devon local authority: places and applications

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy is part of Team Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Umberleigh Primary Academy Umberleigh
• Beaford Community Primary & Nursery School Winkleigh
• Horwood and Newton Tracey Community Primary School Barnstaple
• Pilton Infants' Academy Barnstaple
• Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy Barnstaple
• Brayford Academy Barnstaple
• Witheridge Church of England Primary Academy Tiverton

What is High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy have?

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy has 84 pupils on roll.

What age range does High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy cover?

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy?

High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy is at High Bickington, Umberleigh, Devon, EX37 9AY.