Brayford Academy, Barnstaple
Brayford Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Barnstaple, part of Team Multi-Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2023. It was 49% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Brayford Academy in detail
Brayford Academy in its own words
In its own words: "At Brayford Academy, our vision is clear: Nurturing Young Minds for a Bright Future . Everything we do is rooted in this commitment - to provide a safe, stimulating, and caring environment where every child can grow in confidence, curiosity, and capability. We are proud of the strong team that brings this vision to life each day."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Brayford Academy
For September 2026 entry, 3 families put Brayford Academy as their first choice and 6 named it as one of their preferences, for 3 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Brayford Academy are Bratton Fleming Community Primary School (3.4 miles, Good, 100% reading, 33% maths); North Molton Primary School (4.2 miles, 83% reading, 78% maths); Filleigh Community Primary School (4.5 miles, Good, 30% reading, 30% maths); and Swimbridge Church of England Primary School (5.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths).
Bratton Fleming Community Primary SchoolNorth Molton Primary SchoolFilleigh Community Primary SchoolSwimbridge Church of England Primary School
The trust
Brayford Academy is one of 8 schools run by Team Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
9.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 7 pupils (21.9%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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
Brayford Academy had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 3 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 Brayford Academy.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Devon (16).
Suspensions and exclusions
Brayford Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
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 May 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
9.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
12.5
Avg class size
14.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Brayford Academy
Wonderful Handwriting in Infants!
2 Oct 2026
Learning with iPads!
2 Oct 2026
End of Year Trip to Exmoor Zoo!
21 Jul 2026
Brayford Summer Send- Off!
21 Jul 2026
A wonderful send - off!
21 Jul 2026
A day of Art!
10 Jul 2026
From Brayford Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Brayford Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Brayford Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Brayford Academy 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Brayford Academy
Will you get a place at Brayford Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Brayford Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Brayford Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Brayford Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Brayford Academy for 2016 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
49%
Available places
24 pupils
49 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnstaple
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnstaple
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
21.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
32
Total Pupils
17
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
3.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,676
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£12,029
Per pupil
£357k
Total funding
£6k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
22
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Brayford Academy
What is Brayford Academy's Ofsted rating?
Brayford Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
What is the catchment area for Brayford Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Brayford Academy is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Brayford Academy?
Brayford Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 49% of its 49 places.
How big are the classes at Brayford Academy?
Classes at Brayford Academy average 12.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Brayford Academy?
Brayford Academy has around 32 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Brayford Academy?
7.6% of sessions were missed at Brayford Academy in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Brayford Academy?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Brayford Academy 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 Brayford Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Brayford Academy?
Brayford Academy is at Brayford, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 7QJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)