Holywell Church of England School, Barnstaple
Holywell Church of England School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barnstaple, part of The Harbour Schools Partnership. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 20 schools in Barnstaple with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holywell Church of England School in detail
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Holywell Church of England School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Devon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 94% in reading and 82% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holywell Church of England School
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Holywell Church of England School as their first choice and 9 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Holywell Church of England School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holywell Church of England School are Bishops Tawton Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 77% reading, 65% maths); Sticklepath Community Primary Academy (1.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 75% maths); Roundswell Community Primary Academy (1.8 miles, Good); and Newport Community School Primary Academy (1.8 miles, Outstanding, 69% reading, 63% maths).
Holywell Church of England School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Bishops Tawton Primary SchoolSticklepath Community Primary AcademyRoundswell Community Primary AcademyNewport Community School Primary Academy
The trust
Holywell Church of England School is one of 36 schools run by The Harbour Schools Partnership, an academy trust.
Who goes there
15.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
Holywell Church of England School had 6 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 Barnstaple Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Old Post Office (opposite), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 5 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Devon (16).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holywell Church of England School issued 17 suspensions, 20.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from March 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2017 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
15.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 94% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 82% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 71% to 45% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
20.3
Avg class size
29.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holywell Church of England School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holywell Church of England School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holywell Church of England School is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 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.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Holywell Church of England School
Will you get a place at Holywell Church of England School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holywell Church of England School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holywell Church of England School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holywell Church of England School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Holywell Church of England School for 2019 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Devon 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
79%
Available places
79 pupils
100 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnstaple
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnstaple
Across Devon council
Places available
9,014
Applications
6,494
Got 1st preference
96.5%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
12
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
18.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
86
Total Pupils
43
Boys
43
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
14.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,377
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,261
Per pupil
£611k
Total funding
£21k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.8%
Overall absence
19.4%
Persistent absence
67
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holywell Church of England School
Questions parents ask about Holywell Church of England School
What are SATs results like at Holywell Church of England School?
Of the pupils at Holywell Church of England School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Holywell Church of England School's Ofsted rating?
Holywell Church of England School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holywell Church of England School?
No fixed boundary. When Holywell Church of England School is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Holywell Church of England School?
Holywell Church of England School was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 100 places.
How big are the classes at Holywell Church of England School?
Classes at Holywell Church of England School average 20.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holywell Church of England School?
Holywell Church of England School has around 86 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holywell Church of England School?
7.8% of sessions were missed at Holywell Church of England School in 2024/25. 19.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holywell Church of England School?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Holywell Church of England 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.
How many road collisions happen near Holywell Church of England School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holywell Church of England School?
Holywell Church of England School is at Tawstock, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3HZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)