Lift Barton Hill, Torquay
Lift Barton Hill is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Torquay, part of Lift Schools. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 17 schools in Torquay with published results, and 6,288th of 14,452 across England. It was 85% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Torbay (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lift Barton Hill in detail
Lift Barton Hill in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 82% of Year 6 pupils at Lift Barton Hill reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 74% in Torbay and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (76% in reading, 77% in maths).
Getting a place at Lift Barton Hill
For September 2026 entry, 56 families put Lift Barton Hill as their first choice and 76 named it as one of their preferences, for 56 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lift Barton Hill are Watcombe Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 56% reading, 48% maths); Priory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay (0.8 miles, Good, 72% reading, 67% maths); St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School (0.8 miles, Good, 79% reading, 70% maths); and St Margaret's Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 68% reading, 66% maths).
Lift Barton Hill's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Watcombe Primary SchoolPriory Roman Catholic Primary School, TorquaySt Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery SchoolSt Margaret's Academy
The trust
Lift Barton Hill is one of 62 schools run by Lift Schools, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
36.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 9.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 85 pupils (15%) received SEN support and 41 (7.2%) 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.
Lift Barton Hill has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Staffing
Lift Barton Hill had 34 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Torre Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barton Hill School (opposite), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Lift Barton Hill issued 9 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Lift Barton Hill are St Cuthbert Mayne School (0.6 miles), Torquay Academy (0.7 miles), Torquay Girls' Grammar School (1.1 miles) and Torquay Boys' Grammar School (1.2 miles).
St Cuthbert Mayne SchoolTorquay AcademyTorquay Girls' Grammar SchoolTorquay Boys' Grammar School
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; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
36.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 76% to 82% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.4
Avg class size
26.4
Infant (KS1)
24.0
KS2
23
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Lift Barton Hill
Before and after school care
Lift Barton Hill is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Torbay
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Lift Barton Hill.
- Sporty Stars Torquay Holiday Camp300m away · Not yet graded
- The Big Step910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lift Barton Hill from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lift Barton Hill is in Torbay; for families living there:
Apply to Torbay for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Torbay is 18 (the median across 47 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 Lift Barton Hill
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What the report includes for Lift Barton Hill:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lift Barton Hill.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Torbay, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Lift Barton Hill for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Torbay 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
85%
Available places
534 pupils
630 places
96 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Torquay
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Torquay
Across Torbay council
Places available
1,357
Applications
1,000
Got 1st preference
94.2%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Torbay council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
85
SEN Support
41
EHC Plans
22.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Lift Barton Hill has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
568
Total Pupils
295
Boys
273
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
34
Teachers
16.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,165
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,961
Per pupil
£3729k
Total funding
£333k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
15.0%
Persistent absence
494
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
Questions parents ask about Lift Barton Hill
What are SATs results like at Lift Barton Hill?
Of the pupils at Lift Barton Hill who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% reached the expected standard in reading and 76% did so in maths.
What is Lift Barton Hill's Ofsted rating?
Lift Barton Hill was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023.
What is the catchment area for Lift Barton Hill?
No fixed boundary. When Lift Barton Hill is oversubscribed, Torbay allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Lift Barton Hill?
Lift Barton Hill was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Lift Barton Hill?
Classes at Lift Barton Hill average 23.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Lift Barton Hill?
Lift Barton Hill has around 568 pupils on roll. 36% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Lift Barton Hill have specialist SEN provision?
Lift Barton Hill has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Lift Barton Hill?
5.9% of sessions were missed at Lift Barton Hill in 2024/25. 15% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lift Barton Hill?
Apply through Torbay's coordinated admissions process, naming Lift Barton Hill 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 Lift Barton Hill have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Lift Barton Hill is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Lift Barton Hill: Sporty Stars Torquay Holiday Camp (300m away, registered, not yet graded) and The Big Step (910m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Lift Barton Hill?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Torbay is 18 (the median across 47 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Lift Barton Hill?
Lift Barton Hill is at Barton Hill Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 8JA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)