Appledore School, Bideford
Appledore School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bideford, part of Atlantic Coast Co-Operative Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 12 schools in Bideford with published results, and 1,876th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Appledore School in detail
Appledore School in its own words
In its own words: "Our aim is for Appledore School to be at the heart of its community and to promote high achievement."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Appledore School reached the expected standard in reading and 89% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Devon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (89% in reading, 93% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Appledore School
For September 2026 entry, 42 families put Appledore School as their first choice and 49 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 12 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Appledore School are St George's CofE Infant and Nursery School (0.9 miles); St Margaret's Church of England Junior School (1 mile, 65% reading, 60% maths); Instow Community Primary and Pre-School (1.4 miles, Good, 89% reading, 83% maths); and St Mary's CofE Primary School (1.8 miles, 74% reading, 86% maths).
Appledore School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St George's CofE Infant and Nursery SchoolSt Margaret's Church of England Junior SchoolInstow Community Primary and Pre-SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary School
The trust
Appledore School is one of 6 schools run by Atlantic Coast Co-Operative Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
1.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 32 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 2 (0.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Appledore School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Appledore School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Kingsley Avenue (w-bound), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Appledore School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 93% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 86% to 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.5
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
8
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Appledore School
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 2nd October
2 Oct 2026
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 25th September
25 Sep 2026
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 18th September
18 Sep 2026
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 11th September
11 Sep 2026
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 17th July
20 Jul 2026
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 10th July
10 Jul 2026
From Appledore School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Appledore School
Getting There
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Appledore School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Appledore School is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Appledore School
Will you get a place at Appledore School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Appledore School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Appledore School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Appledore School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Appledore School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Devon got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
208 pupils
210 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bideford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bideford
Across Devon council
Places available
9,014
Applications
6,494
Got 1st preference
96.5%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
32
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
13.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
244
Total Pupils
127
Boys
117
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,987
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,116
Per pupil
£1220k
Total funding
£56k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
7.0%
Persistent absence
186
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Appledore School
What are SATs results like at Appledore School?
Of the pupils at Appledore School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 89% did so in maths.
What is Appledore School's Ofsted rating?
Appledore School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2023.
What is the catchment area for Appledore School?
No fixed boundary. When Appledore School is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Appledore School?
Appledore School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Appledore School?
Classes at Appledore School average 28.5 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Appledore School?
Appledore School has around 244 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Appledore School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Appledore School in 2024/25. 7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Appledore School?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Appledore School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Appledore School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Appledore School?
Appledore School is at Richmond Road, Appledore, Bideford, Devon, EX39 1PF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)