Bridestowe Primary School

Bridestowe Primary has been deemed a good school following its first inspection under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has demonstrated a strong quality of education where leaders set high expectations for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils showcase pride in their school and benefit from positive relationships with staff, which contribute to a supportive learning environment. Parents express appreciation for the school's commitment to understanding their child's needs, especially during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths

• Pupils have strong relationships with staff who understand their needs.
• Ambitious curriculum designed to engage and excite pupils.
• Effective teaching of phonics, resulting in confident readers.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND, ensuring full curriculum access.
• Positive behavior and attitudes towards learning among pupils.
• Opportunities for pupils to participate in local community activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment in some foundation subjects is ineffective, hindering understanding of pupils' knowledge.
• Some staff report high workloads, which may impact their ability to provide optimal 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 Bridestowe Primary School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.0% 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, 1.1% of pupils at Bridestowe 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 Bridestowe Primary School had 11.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.3% 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, 20.9% of pupils at Bridestowe Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 9.3% 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 Bridestowe Primary School received £8,062 and spent £7,655 for each of its 89 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £29,000 (£327 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,662 and spending £8,326 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 Okehampton · Devon local authority: places and applications

Bridestowe Primary School is part of Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:

• Lydford Primary School Okehampton
• Boasley Cross Community Primary School Okehampton
• Okehampton College Okehampton
• Okehampton Primary School and Foundation Unit Okehampton
• The Promise School Okehampton
• Northlew and Ashbury Parochial Church of England Primary School Okehampton
• St James Church of England Primary and Nursery School Okehampton
• South Tawton Primary School Okehampton
• Milton Abbot Primary School Tavistock
• Exbourne Church of England Primary School Okehampton

What is Bridestowe Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bridestowe Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2022.

When was Bridestowe Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bridestowe Primary School was last inspected in June 2022.

How many pupils does Bridestowe Primary School have?

Bridestowe Primary School has 86 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bridestowe Primary School cover?

Bridestowe Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bridestowe Primary School?

Bridestowe Primary School is at Bridestowe, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4EL.