Cockington Primary School, Torquay

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 511

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~583m)Possible (~833m)Unlikely (~1.1km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Andrew Swainson
Pupils:380 / 480 capacity
LA:Torbay
Phone:01803214100
Address:Old Mill Road, Torquay, TQ2 6AP
Trust:CONNECT ACADEMY TRUST
Status:open
Opened:1 June 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 23 April 2025View full report
URN:149222
UKPRN:10090825
Constituency:Torbay
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Cockington Primary School creates a caring, inclusive environment where children are happy and motivated to learn. The school excels at behaviour and attitudes, with pupils showing exceptional politeness and respect. Reading is taught systematically from the start, and hands-on learning experiences like trips to historical sites and practical science experiments bring the curriculum to life.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional behaviour - pupils are polite, respectful and cooperative, with behaviour incidents reducing over time
  • Strong reading focus with systematic phonics teaching from the start of school
  • Excellent support for pupils with SEND who achieve well and learn alongside peers effectively
  • Rich, hands-on curriculum with enriching experiences like trips and practical activities
  • Positive personal development including British values, democracy through school council, and community learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Assessment in some subjects does not consistently identify whether pupils have fully secured skills and knowledge, leading to gaps in learning
  • Subject leadership is still developing in some areas, making teaching and curriculum delivery inconsistent across all subjects
  • Teachers' checks on understanding during lessons are not always effective, so some pupils move on before fully secure with previous learning

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff maintaining strong safeguarding culture and support systems.

Extracurricular Activities

Rugby, choir, cookery club, sports events, visits to local aquarium, visits to the Golden Hinde ship, musical performances in local church

Cockington Primary School is a happy and safe place where pupils are well supported by dedicated staff. Although previous outcomes were below national averages in some subjects, current pupils' achievements are improving.

At a Glance

34.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

57 responses
Would recommend91%
Child is happy93%
Well taught93%
Good progress84%
Feels safe93%
Well behaved88%
Bullying dealt with23%
Kept informed93%
Handles concerns65%
Wider development88%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-5ppMaths-1ppWriting-10pp

Reading has declined from 76% to 71%. Maths has remained stable at around 68%. Writing has declined from 60% to 50%.

Class Sizes

26.3

Avg class size

24.5

Infant (KS1)

27.4

KS2

15

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Torquay Rail Station (Entrance)
650m · 11 min walk
Torre Rail Station (Entrance)
706m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

Sherwell Lane (o/s)
228m · 4 min walk
Abbey Court Hotel (SW-bound)
235m · 4 min walk
Sherwell Lane Christadelphian Hall (opp)
240m · 4 min walk
Torre Valley Playing Fields (W-bound)
256m · 4 min walk
Torre Abbey (E-bound)
257m · 4 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

79%

Available places

380 pupils

480 capacity

100 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Torquay

Low pressure
New homes approved:863
Projected new pupils:216

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Torquay

Admissions Demand - Torbay

Low demand0.72x oversubscription

Places available

1,452

Applications

1,044

Got 1st preference

95.6%

Got preferred school

99.4%

Primary admissions across Torbay (2025/26)

Inspection History

23 April 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood

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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

5.23931%

Overall absence

15.01211%

Persistent absence

413

Enrolments

Authorised4.02536%
Unauthorised1.21395%
Persistent (10%+)15.01211%
Severe (50%+)2.90557%

Absence trend

6.21292%
21/22
7.25966%
22/23
6.574%
23/24
5.23931%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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