Drake Primary Academy, Plymouth

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades Drake Primary Academy on 7 areas: 2 expected standard and 5 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years and deploy resources effectively to ensure children get off to a good start to their education."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The curriculum helps pupils to understand the meaning and relevance of fundamental British values."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Many pupils across the school do not develop accurate reading, spelling, punctuation, handwriting and knowledge of number facts."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Attendance remains below the national average."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding when learning mathematics."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders do not identify pupils' needs accurately enough, particularly when their needs are emerging or changing."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "The school and trust have undergone significant leadership changes since the last inspection."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen their oversight of the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and check more regularly that staff implement strategies as intended and that provision matches pupils' needs and is adapted quickly when pupils' needs change"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers use the new assessment systems effectively to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge accurately and adjust teaching to support pupils to learn well"; "Leaders should ensure that phonics is taught with consistency and precision so that pupils in the early stages of reading learn to read well"; "Leaders should analyse attendance patterns more closely, identify the reasons behind absence and take targeted action that removes barriers and improves attendance"; "Leaders should ensure school improvement actions are carried out by appropriately skilled staff and monitor and evaluate these effectively in order to bring about more rapid improvements".

In its own words: "A group of Plymouth pupils swapped their classroom for the Mount Batten Water Sports and Activities Centre for a morning mixing fun and learning this term. The year 4 children from enjoyed a range of archery games followed by a tour of the historic Mount Batten Tower."

The school runs a breakfast club.

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils at Drake Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Plymouth and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 76% in reading and 79% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 13 families put Drake Primary Academy as their first choice and 26 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Drake Primary Academy are Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles, Good, 74% reading, 61% maths); College Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 84% maths); Weston Mill Community Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 64% reading, 71% maths); and Ford Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 72% reading, 69% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Drake Primary Academy.

Drake Primary Academy is one of 20 schools run by Reach South Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Drake Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 29% would recommend the school, 43% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (43%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).

44.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 8.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 26 pupils (19.1%) received SEN support and 13 (9.6%) 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.

Drake Primary Academy had 12 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Keyham Rail Station, about 130 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Johnstone Terrace (sw-bound), 50 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 319 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Plymouth (196), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Drake Primary Academy issued 16 suspensions, 9.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Drake Primary Academy are UTC Plymouth (0.8 miles), Marine Academy Plymouth (1.2 miles) and Torpoint Community College (1.4 miles).