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Ford Primary School, Plymouth

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 3–11

Ford Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Plymouth, part of Learning Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 50th-highest of the 73 schools in Plymouth with published results, and 10,218th of 14,452 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.

SATs results
Below England average
Ofsted
Good (2013)
Demand
Every first choice offered
Attendance
Below England average
New inspections, open days and news, by email.

Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days

Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Plymouth (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.

Data last updated 27 Oct 2026

Ford Primary School in detail

Ford Primary School in its own words

The school runs after-school care until 5:30pm.

Wraparound care (school website)

Source: The school's own website

Results

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at Ford Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Plymouth and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 46% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.

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

Getting a place at Ford Primary School

For September 2026 entry, 11 families put Ford Primary School as their first choice and 31 named it as one of their preferences, for 17 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Admissions history and your chances at Ford Primary School

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other state primary schools to Ford Primary School are College Road Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 84% maths); Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 74% reading, 61% maths); Drake Primary Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 66% reading, 66% maths); and Morice Town Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 60% reading, 73% maths).

Ford Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

College Road Primary SchoolKeyham Barton Catholic Primary SchoolDrake Primary AcademyMorice Town Primary Academy

The trust

Ford Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Learning Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

All 18 schools in Learning Academies Trust

What parents say

15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Ford Primary School (as of September 2025): 53% would recommend the school, 73% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (80%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (47%).

Who goes there

42.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 46 pupils (26.9%) received SEN support and 4 (2.3%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Staffing

Ford Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Dockyard (Plymouth) Rail Station, about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

22 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Melville Road (e-bound), 200 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 412 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Plymouth (196), as is usual near a town centre.

Suspensions and exclusions

In 2024/25, Ford Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 5.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

Secondary schools nearby

The secondary schools closest to Ford Primary School are Scott Medical and Healthcare College (0.5 miles), Stoke Damerel Community College (0.5 miles), UTC Plymouth (0.7 miles) and Devonport High School for Girls (0.8 miles).

Scott Medical and Healthcare CollegeStoke Damerel Community CollegeUTC PlymouthDevonport High School for Girls

Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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 GIAS
Head:Mr David Sammels
Pupils:171
LA:Plymouth
Phone:01752567661
Address:Cambridge Road, Ford, Plymouth, PL2 1PU
Trust:LEARNING ACADEMIES TRUST (18 schools)
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2018

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago

This judgement is from July 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.

-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 11 February 2025View full report
URN:145652
UKPRN:10067255
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.

What This School Does Well

Ford Primary creates a safe, nurturing environment where children are genuinely happy and eager to learn. Reading is prioritised throughout the school, with regular opportunities for pupils to enjoy stories and develop their reading skills from the earliest years. The school takes excellent care of all pupils, particularly those with additional needs, adapting teaching so every child can succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Reading is at the heart of the curriculum with strong phonics teaching from Reception Year onwards
  • Pupils with special educational needs receive thoughtful support and adaptations so they can access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers
  • Staff skillfully check pupils' understanding and identify gaps in knowledge to focus future teaching
  • School leaders and staff have high expectations and work together to support continuous improvement
  • Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and the school has established a positive climate for learning

Areas for Improvement

  • The school does not have a carefully planned programme of enrichment activities, meaning some pupils miss out on experiences beyond the academic curriculum

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular Activities

Running club, choir, chess, Gamelan, arts activities, gardening, rock up and read sessions

Ford Primary School is a safe and nurturing school where pupils are happy and enthusiastic about their learning. The school has made significant improvements and been rated Good across all key areas.

At a Glance

42.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

15 responses
Would recommend53%
Child is happy73%
Child does well60%
High expectations67%
Feels safe80%
Well behaved67%
Bullying dealt with (of parents with a view)50%
Kept informed53%
Handles concerns (of parents who raised one)64%
Wider development47%

Source: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2024/25

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+26ppMaths+4ppWriting+14pp

Reading has improved from 46% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 62% to 76% (2024 to 2025).

Class Sizes

20.4

Avg class size

20.7

Infant (KS1)

23.3

KS2

7

Total classes

2025/26 academic year

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Social & online

Keep up with Ford Primary School

Before and after school care

Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Ford Primary School.

  • EduArt Educational CentreAt the school · Not yet graded

Getting There

Bus Stops

Melville Road (E-bound)
197m · 3 min walk
Ford Hill Bottom (W-bound)
215m · 3 min walk
Henderson Place (SW-bound)
217m · 4 min walk
Wolseley Road Shops (NW-bound)
222m · 4 min walk
Fisher Road (W-bound)
239m · 4 min walk

Free school transport

Check free transport to Ford Primary School from your postcode →

You apply to the council where you live. Ford Primary School is in Plymouth; for families living there:

Apply to Plymouth for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
34
Fatal
0
Serious
4
Children hurt
3

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 30 slight.

3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.

5 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 Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 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.

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Commute and house prices

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Your chances of a place at Ford Primary School

Will you get a place at Ford Primary School? Get the admissions report

Your home postcode, set against Ford Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.

What the report includes for Ford Primary School:

  • The straight-line distance from your home to Ford Primary School.
  • We hold no last distance offered figures from Plymouth, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
  • Applications, first choices and offers at Ford Primary School for 2019 to 2026 entry.
  • How many families in Plymouth 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

81%

Available places

170 pupils

210 places

40 spare places in 2025

2025, DfE school capacity data

Area Demand Pressure - Plymouth

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,906
Projected new pupils:477

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Plymouth

Across Plymouth council

Low demand council-wide0.76 applications per place

Places available

3,035

Applications

2,294

Got 1st preference

93.5%

Got preferred school

98.4%

All primary applications across Plymouth council (2026/27), not just this school.

This school: Every first choice offered

Inspection History(3)

11 February 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood
15 June 2022
17 July 2013
Good
Leadership & ManagementGood

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

46

SEN Support

4

EHC Plans

29.2%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

No specialist provision recorded

Pupils by Need Type

Social, Emotional & Mental Health23
Speech, Language & Communication15
Moderate Learning Difficulty12
EHC Plan
SEN Support

Pupil Demographics

Ethnicity

White British
74.9%
Asian
11.7%
Black
6.4%
Mixed
0.6%
Other
1.8%

2026 academic year

Key Indicators

Free School Meals42.1%
English as Additional Language22.8%

171

Total Pupils

94

Boys

77

Girls

2026 academic year

Workforce

13

Teachers

13.2:1

Pupil-teacher ratio

£49,283

Mean salary

2026 data

School Funding

£6,328

Per pupil

£1385k

Total funding

£132k

Pupil premium

Deprivation£203,905
EAL funding£10,847
Lump sum£145,100

2025-26 financial year allocations

Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.0%

Overall absence

21.2%

Persistent absence

170

Enrolments

Authorised5.8%
Unauthorised2.2%
Persistent (10%+)21.2%
Severe (50%+)1.8%

Absence trend

5.8%
18/19
4.0%
20/21
8.7%
21/22
7.5%
22/23
7.6%
23/24
8.0%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

Questions parents ask about Ford Primary School

What are SATs results like at Ford Primary School?

Of the pupils at Ford Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.

What is Ford Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ford Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2013, it was rated Good.

What is the catchment area for Ford Primary School?

No fixed boundary. When Ford Primary School is oversubscribed, Plymouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.

Is it hard to get a place at Ford Primary School?

Ford Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 81% of its 210 places.

How big are the classes at Ford Primary School?

Classes at Ford Primary School average 20.4 pupils (2025/26).

How many pupils go to Ford Primary School?

Ford Primary School has around 171 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.

What is attendance like at Ford Primary School?

8% of sessions were missed at Ford Primary School in 2024/25. 21.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).

How do I apply to Ford Primary School?

Apply through Plymouth's coordinated admissions process, naming Ford Primary 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.

Does Ford Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?

Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: EduArt Educational Centre (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.

How many road collisions happen near Ford Primary School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 30 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).

Where is Ford Primary School?

Ford Primary School is at Cambridge Road, Ford, Plymouth, Devon, PL2 1PU.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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