St Helens Church of England Academy, Bideford

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am.

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at St Helens Church of England Academy 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 93% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.

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

For September 2026 entry, 30 families put St Helens Church of England Academy as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places, so in 2026 a family who put it first could expect an offer unless the school's other criteria ruled them out.

First-choice demand has fallen from 45 in 2021 to 30 in 2026.

Across Devon, 96% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2025, families in Devon lodged 45 appeals against primary school offers; 15 reached a hearing and 2 succeeded (13.3% of those heard).

The nearest other state primary schools to St Helens Church of England Academy are West Croft School (1.5 miles, Good, 65% reading, 52% maths); St Mary's CofE Primary School (1.9 miles, 74% reading, 86% maths); St Margaret's Church of England Junior School (2.3 miles, Requires improvement, 65% reading, 60% maths); and St George's CofE Infant and Nursery School (2.4 miles).

St Helens Church of England Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

St Helens Church of England Academy is one of 22 schools run by Learning Academy Partnership (south West), an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2023/24.

8.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (the average state school: 24.5%), and 1.5% speak English as an additional language (average: 18.5%), according to the 2025 school census.

In 2025, 30 pupils (14.6%) received SEN support and 5 (2.4%) had an education, health and care plan, against 15.6% and 3.9% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

St Helens Church of England Academy employed 14 teachers in 2024, roughly one for every 15 pupils. Their average salary was £39,266.

Its 2026 funding allocation works out at £5,021 per pupil (£1.1 million in total), including £25,755 of pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils.

There is no railway or Underground station within about three miles of St Helens Church of England Academy.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church (near), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Helens Church of England Academy stands in is among the 40% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 30 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2023/24, St Helens Church of England Academy issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 2.3), and no permanent exclusions.