Marldon Church of England Primary School, Paignton
Marldon Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Paignton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 9 schools in Paignton with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Marldon Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Marldon Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% 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 84% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Marldon Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Marldon Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Marldon Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Marldon Church of England Primary School are Kings Ash Academy (1.2 miles, Good, 72% reading, 77% maths); Oldway Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 73% reading, 77% maths); Sacred Heart Catholic School (1.8 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths); and Collaton St Mary Church of England Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths).
Marldon Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Kings Ash AcademyOldway Primary SchoolSacred Heart Catholic SchoolCollaton St Mary Church of England Primary School
What parents say
37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Marldon Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
14.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
Marldon Church of England Primary School had 14 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Paignton (Paignton and Dartmouth Railway), about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (opposite), 50 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Marldon Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Marldon Primary creates a nurturing environment where children are motivated to learn and feel valued. The school excels at developing writing skills and fundamental reading and maths abilities, while offering a rich array of enrichment experiences including trips, clubs, and leadership opportunities. Children here develop strong social and emotional skills alongside academic success.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on writing development across all year groups with explicit teaching of vocabulary and ambitious learning
- Effective teaching of reading and maths fundamentals, with pupils applying learning confidently
- Excellent wider development programme including mental health support, enrichment visits, and leadership opportunities
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils enabling precise identification and support of additional needs
- Secure knowledge of online safety and British values promoting respect and tolerance
Areas for Improvement
- Recent curriculum improvements in some subjects are not yet fully embedded, affecting how well pupils retain and recall learning
- School should strengthen implementation of new curriculum developments to ensure pupils make relevant links between topics
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils demonstrating strong knowledge of online safety and understanding of how to keep themselves safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Mental health ambassadors programme, play leaders, visits, overseas trips, clubs, enrichment activities
Marldon Church of England Primary School has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils flourish in a culture of nurture and high expectations, achieving well across an ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
14.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
37 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 94% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 94% to 83% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.9
Avg class size
30.3
Infant (KS1)
31.3
KS2
7
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Marldon Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Marldon Church of England Primary School.
- Achieve4All - MarldonAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Marldon Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Marldon Church of England Primary 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)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 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 Marldon Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Marldon Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Marldon Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Marldon Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Marldon Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Marldon Church of England Primary School for 2014 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
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Paignton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Paignton
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
38
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
21.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
216
Total Pupils
116
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
15.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,400
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,090
Per pupil
£1186k
Total funding
£45k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
6.6%
Persistent absence
183
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Marldon Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Marldon Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Marldon Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Marldon Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Marldon Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Marldon Church of England Primary 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 Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Marldon Church of England Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Marldon Church of England Primary School average 30.9 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Marldon Church of England Primary School has around 216 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Marldon Church of England Primary School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at Marldon Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 6.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Marldon Church of England 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 Marldon Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Achieve4All - Marldon (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 Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Marldon Church of England Primary School?
Marldon Church of England Primary School is at Marldon Cross Hill, Marldon, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 1PD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)