Burlescombe Church of England Primary School, Tiverton

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.2km)Possible (~3.1km)Unlikely (~4.1km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Kirsty Page
Pupils:30 / 84 capacity
LA:Devon
Phone:01823672521
Address:Station Road, Burlescombe, Tiverton, EX16 7JH
Trust:ALUMNIS MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Requires Improvement

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Requires Improvement

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 18 June 2025View full report
URN:149055
UKPRN:10090320
Diocese:Diocese of Exeter
Constituency:Tiverton and Minehead
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school excels at teaching reading and phonics, with all Year 1 pupils passing their screening checks. Pupils enjoy excellent behaviour, strong relationships with staff, and a welcoming village school atmosphere where they feel proud and safe. The school provides enriching experiences like residential outdoor education trips and visits to London and the zoo that bring learning to life and help children develop independence and resilience.

Key Strengths

  • Teaching of phonics is a strength with all Year 1 pupils passing their phonics screening check - early reading is central to pupils' learning
  • Pupils' personal development is strong - they understand online safety, learn about different beliefs, and have opportunities for trips to London, the zoo and the coastline
  • Behaviour and attendance are excellent - pupils behave well, show mutual care and respect across age groups, and have high attendance rates
  • Early years provision is good with a warm, inviting environment balancing academic skills with outdoor learning
  • New headteacher has been welcomed by the school community and has quickly identified areas for improvement

Areas for Improvement

  • The school has not identified the essential knowledge pupils need to know and remember, so teachers do not know which content to emphasise and pupils cannot recall or make connections in learning
  • Assessment is not precise enough and pupils receive ineffective feedback - teachers design tasks that do not match what pupils already know and can do
  • Targets set for pupils with special educational needs are not sufficiently precise, meaning these pupils do not receive appropriate support and do not achieve as well as they should
  • Work across the curriculum lacks appropriate rigour - other areas do not have the same systematic approach as reading

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils feeling safe and knowing there is a trusted adult they can speak to if they have a concern.

Extracurricular Activities

Residential trips to outdoor education centres (paddle boarding, orienteering), school council roles, 'inspiring speaker' assemblies, competitive sporting activities, visits to London, zoo, and local coastline

Burlescombe Church of England Primary School is a small primary school with 45 pupils that requires improvement in the quality of education and leadership and management. While the school has good behaviour and personal development, pupils have not learned the important knowledge needed for the next stage of their education.

At a Glance

23.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+13ppMaths+41ppWriting+22pp

Reading has improved from 73% to 86%. Maths has improved from 45% to 86%. Writing has improved from 64% to 86%.

Class Sizes

23.0

Avg class size

20.0

KS2

2

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Rail Bridge (SW-bound)
200m · 3 min walk
Bus Shelter (N-bound)
884m · 14 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

36%

Available places

30 pupils

84 capacity

54 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Tiverton

Low pressure
New homes approved:933
Projected new pupils:233

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Tiverton

Admissions Demand - Devon

Low demand0.73x oversubscription

Places available

9,263

Applications

6,758

Got 1st preference

96.2%

Got preferred school

98.9%

Primary admissions across Devon (2025/26)

Inspection History

18 June 2025
Quality of EducationRequires Improvement
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementRequires Improvement
Early YearsGood

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.56609%

Overall absence

15%

Persistent absence

40

Enrolments

Authorised4.34519%
Unauthorised1.2209%
Persistent (10%+)15%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

5.57334%
22/23
5.0386%
23/24
5.56609%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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