Watcombe Primary School, Torquay
Watcombe Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Torquay. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 17th-highest of the 17 schools in Torquay with published results, and 13,797th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
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
Watcombe Primary School in detail
Watcombe Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Our school aims are to develop pupils who are confident individuals, successful learners and responsible citizens. Our aims are displayed in our classrooms and in other places around the school. We have four important learning values which we are working hard to develop."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, multi-sports, dance and maths club.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils at Watcombe Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 48% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 74% in Torbay and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 74% in reading and 52% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Watcombe Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 25 families put Watcombe Primary School as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 27 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Watcombe Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Watcombe Primary School are Lift Barton Hill (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 76% maths); St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good, 79% reading, 70% maths); Priory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay (0.9 miles, Good, 72% reading, 67% maths); and St Margaret's Academy (0.9 miles, Good, 68% reading, 66% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Watcombe Primary School.
Lift Barton HillSt Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery SchoolPriory Roman Catholic Primary School, TorquaySt Margaret's Academy
Who goes there
34.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 64 pupils (29%) received SEN support and 21 (9.5%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Watcombe Primary School had 13 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 railway station is Torre Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moor Lane Shops (se-bound), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 126 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Torbay (245).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Watcombe Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 3.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Watcombe Primary School are St Cuthbert Mayne School (0.8 miles), Torquay Academy (1.2 miles), The Spires College (1.4 miles) and Torquay Girls' Grammar School (1.7 miles).
St Cuthbert Mayne SchoolTorquay AcademyThe Spires CollegeTorquay Girls' Grammar School
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; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This nurturing school is at the heart of the community. Relationships between pupils, staff and families are strong and as a result pupils thrive.
The positive behaviour of pupils reflects the school values of confidence, respect, aspiration and responsibility. School leaders have ensured that there are regular opportunities for pupils to demonstrate these values. Older pupils act as reading buddies to the younger pupils. Play leaders support their peers in the playground and house captains demonstrate what it means to be a role model.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
School leaders and staff have a clear and ambitious vision for what pupils can achieve, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Central to this shared vision has been the prioritisation and strengthening of the school's reading curriculum. Learning to read begins in the early years. Precise monitoring ensures that pupils learn their phonic sounds in groups that match their ability. Rigorous staff training means all staff present sounds clearly to pupils. Those pupils who need extra support are identified swiftly and receive personalised support to ensure they catch up. Staff model how to read with expression and fluency. Pupils use drama activities to build a deeper understanding of the stories they read. As a result, pupils develop a love of books and have positive attitudes to reading.
School leaders have applied the same level of rigour to development of other subjects across the curriculum. However, in a minority of subjects, the school has not fully considered what it is it wants pupils to learn. This means that pupils do not always build knowledge and skills in a logical sequence. As a result, in some subjects pupils develop gaps in their knowledge.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
34.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 74% to 56% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 52% to 48% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 56% to 48% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.0
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
27.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Watcombe Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Watcombe Primary School.
- Sporty Stars Torquay Holiday Camp890m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Watcombe Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Watcombe Primary School 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
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 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 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 Watcombe Primary School
Will you get a place at Watcombe Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Watcombe Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Watcombe Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Watcombe Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Torbay, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Watcombe Primary School 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
94%
Near capacity
197 pupils
210 places
13 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(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
64
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
38.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
221
Total Pupils
108
Boys
113
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,470
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,146
Per pupil
£1366k
Total funding
£100k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.3%
Overall absence
19.9%
Persistent absence
176
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 Watcombe Primary School
What are SATs results like at Watcombe Primary School?
Of the pupils at Watcombe Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 56% reached the expected standard in reading and 48% did so in maths.
What is Watcombe Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Watcombe Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
What is the catchment area for Watcombe Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Watcombe Primary School is oversubscribed, Torbay allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Watcombe Primary School?
Watcombe Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Watcombe Primary School?
Classes at Watcombe Primary School average 24 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Watcombe Primary School?
Watcombe Primary School has around 221 pupils on roll. 34% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Watcombe Primary School?
6.3% of sessions were missed at Watcombe Primary School in 2024/25. 19.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Watcombe Primary School?
Apply through Torbay's coordinated admissions process, naming Watcombe 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 Watcombe Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Watcombe Primary School: Sporty Stars Torquay Holiday Camp (890m away, 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 Watcombe Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 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 Torbay is 18 (the median across 47 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Watcombe Primary School?
Watcombe Primary School is at Moor Lane, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 8NU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)