St Helen's Church of England School, Bideford
St Helen's Church of England School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bideford, part of Learning Academy Partnership (south West). It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 12 schools in Bideford with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
St Helen's Church of England School in detail
St Helen's Church of England School in its own words
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils at St Helen's 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 93% in reading and 87% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Helen's Church of England School
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put St Helen's Church of England School as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Helen's Church of England School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Helen's Church of England School 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, 65% reading, 60% maths); and St George's CofE Infant and Nursery School (2.4 miles).
St Helen's Church of England School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
West Croft SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary SchoolSt Margaret's Church of England Junior SchoolSt George's CofE Infant and Nursery School
The trust
St Helen's Church of England School is one of 22 schools run by Learning Academy Partnership (south West), an academy trust.
Who goes there
11.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 18 pupils (8.8%) received SEN support and 6 (2.9%) 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.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Helen's Church of England School.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church (near), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
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.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Helen's Church of England 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; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 January 2013, 13 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 January 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
11.8%
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 93% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 87% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 90% to 63% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
30.7
KS2
4
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Helen's Church of England School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to St Helen's Church of England School, with their latest published grades:
- Bearfoot Preschool Ltd - Pre-school, under 0.1 milesOfsted report card, 24 March 2026: Strong standard in 2 areas, Expected standard in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Abbotsham and Alwington Pre-School - Pre-school, under 0.1 milesOfsted report card, 30 January 2026: Strong standard in 3 areas, Expected standard in 3 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Make Waves Nursery - Day nursery, 1.0 milesOfsted, 4 December 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- The Little Learners Childcare - Day nursery, 1.7 milesOfsted, 21 March 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Bideford Baptist Pre-school - Pre-school, 1.8 milesOfsted, 8 February 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Helen's Church of England School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Helen's 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)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
2 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 are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Helen's Church of England School
Will you get a place at St Helen's Church of England School?
For 2026 entry it had 30 first choices for 30 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
209 pupils
210 places
1 spare place in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Bideford and Northam Primary planning area (Devon) will have 420 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
18
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
11.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
106
Boys
98
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,809
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,021
Per pupil
£1127k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
4.8%
Persistent absence
187
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
St Helen's Church of England School
Questions parents ask about St Helen's Church of England School
What are SATs results like at St Helen's Church of England School?
Of the pupils at St Helen's Church of England School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 77% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is St Helen's Church of England School's Ofsted rating?
St Helen's Church of England School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2022, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at St Helen's Church of England School?
St Helen's Church of England School was full in 2025, at 100% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Helen's Church of England School?
Classes at St Helen's Church of England School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to St Helen's Church of England School?
St Helen's Church of England School has around 204 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Helen's Church of England School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at St Helen's Church of England School in 2024/25. 4.8% of pupils were persistently absent.
How many road collisions happen near St Helen's Church of England School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 2 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 St Helen's Church of England School?
St Helen's Church of England School is at Abbotsham, Bideford, Devon, EX39 5AP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)