Best Schools in Barnstaple

How many schools are there in Barnstaple?

Barnstaple has 31 open schools: 24 state primary, 3 state secondary or all-through, 1 independent and 3 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Barnstaple are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Barnstaple was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Newport Community School Primary Academy. Counting Good as well, 88% of the 24 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Newport Community School Primary Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Barnstaple get the best GCSE results?

Of the 3 schools in Barnstaple with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Park Community School, with an Attainment 8 score of 47.5 and 53% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Pilton Community College, with an Attainment 8 score of 42.8 and 37% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Pathfield School, with an Attainment 8 score of 2 and 0% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Park Community SchoolPilton Community CollegePathfield School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Barnstaple have the best SATs results?

Of the 20 primary schools in Barnstaple with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Parracombe Church of England Primary School (88% in reading, 100% in maths); Goodleigh Church of England Primary School (94% in reading, 78% in maths); and Swimbridge Church of England Primary School (85% in reading, 85% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Parracombe Church of England Primary SchoolGoodleigh Church of England Primary SchoolSwimbridge Church of England Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Barnstaple?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Barnstaple selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Barnstaple have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Barnstaple have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Barnstaple?

Apply to Devon through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.