The Duchy School Bradninch, Exeter

Outstanding
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.0km)Possible (~2.9km)Unlikely (~3.7km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Simon Roberts
Pupils:207 / 210 capacity
LA:Devon
Phone:01392881482
Address:Bowley Meadow, Townlands, Exeter, EX5 4RF
Trust:THE HARBOUR SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2013

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Outstanding

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 23 April 2025View full report
URN:140078
UKPRN:10043022
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Central Devon
Urban/Rural:Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Duchy School excels at helping every child develop as a whole person - academically, emotionally and socially. Teachers use an impressive curriculum with 'knowledge buttons' that help children build understanding step by step, and they provide expert support so all pupils, including those with additional needs, can succeed. Parents praise the school highly for combining strong education with wonderful care for children's overall development.

Key Strengths

  • Highly ambitious, well-designed curriculum with excellent progression in knowledge and skills - pupils make strong connections between learning areas
  • Exceptional support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, with individualised approaches ensuring they achieve the best outcomes
  • Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils understanding and living the school's values of curiosity, respect, equality, ambition, tenacity and empathy
  • Wide range of enriching clubs and activities that engage all pupils
  • High-quality approach to reading with strong phonics teaching and engaging story time

Areas for Improvement

  • Early years writing provision needs sharper focus on letter formation and transcription skills to help children become fluent writers more quickly

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Photography, tag-rugby, eco club, quidditch, singing, musical instruments, performances, school council, sports leaders, librarian groups

The Duchy School Bradninch is an exceptional primary school where pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally. The school has been judged outstanding across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

At a Glance

16.9%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

135 responses
Would recommend99%
Child is happy99%
Well taught96%
Good progress89%
Feels safe99%
Well behaved99%
Bullying dealt with13%
Kept informed98%
Handles concerns70%
Wider development93%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-5ppMathsWriting+3pp

Reading has declined from 90% to 85%. Maths has remained stable at around 93%. Writing has remained stable at around 93%.

Class Sizes

28.9

Avg class size

28.3

Infant (KS1)

29.3

KS2

7

Total classes

3 classes with more than 30 pupils

1 unlawfully large infant class

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Westfield (S-bound)
166m · 3 min walk
Townlands (SW-bound)
224m · 4 min walk
Guildhall (SW-bound)
670m · 11 min walk
Parsonage Street (NE-bound)
903m · 15 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

207 pupils

210 capacity

3 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Exeter

High pressure
New homes approved:3,921
Projected new pupils:980

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Exeter

Admissions Demand - Devon

Low demand0.73x oversubscription

Places available

9,263

Applications

6,758

Got 1st preference

96.2%

Got preferred school

98.9%

Primary admissions across Devon (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

23 April 2025
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsGood
19 May 2015
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.17698%

Overall absence

11.11111%

Persistent absence

180

Enrolments

Authorised4.53738%
Unauthorised0.6396%
Persistent (10%+)11.11111%
Severe (50%+)0.55556%

Absence trend

4.04053%
18/19
3.22311%
20/21
6.06061%
21/22
5.16483%
22/23
5.18222%
23/24
5.17698%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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