High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy, Umberleigh
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
High Bickington stands out for creating a warm, inclusive community where every child is known and supported. Pupils develop strong values, excellent behaviour, and a real sense of pride in their school and local community. The school balances academic achievement with rich personal development, including trips to Bristol and London that broaden pupils' understanding of different cultures and ethical issues.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and attendance - pupils are intrinsically motivated to behave well and attend school regularly
- Strong early years provision with experienced staff and rigorous focus on phonics and vocabulary development
- Excellent inclusion and support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, ensuring they access the curriculum successfully
- Ambitious, well-planned curriculum that builds knowledge progressively and celebrates the local rural community
- High quality teaching with strong phonics instruction and subject knowledge that engages pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment of pupil understanding is not always used effectively to adapt teaching, meaning some pupils continue with gaps in knowledge
- Some pupils are given work that is not as ambitious as it could be
- Teaching could be better tailored based on regular checks of what pupils understand
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess club, running club, trips to Bristol and London, book and biscuit reading events, school council, litter picking activities, singing at local residential homes, sporting activities for pupils with SEND
High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy is a school where pupils achieve well, with most exceeding national averages in tests. The school has a strong culture of excellent behaviour, high attendance, and inclusive practice that ensures all pupils, including those with additional needs, are well supported.
At a Glance
5.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 71% to 87%. Maths has improved from 71% to 87%. Writing has remained stable at around 87%.
Class Sizes
21.3
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
22.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
120%
Over capacity
84 pupils
70 capacity
14 places over capacity
Area Demand Pressure - Umberleigh
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Umberleigh
Admissions Demand - Devon
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(14)
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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.53175%
Overall absence
13.84615%
Persistent absence
65
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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