Westcliff Primary Academy, Dawlish

From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Westcliff Primary Academy. We are a large, coastal Primary School which became part of the 'First Federation Trust' on 1st February 2016. The First Federation is a Multi-Academy Trust of primary schools across Devon. (To see other schools that are in the Trust, please click here ). We currently have 261 children on roll, split into 9 classes."

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils at Westcliff Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Devon and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 63% in reading and 55% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 24 families put Westcliff Primary Academy as their first choice and 33 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Westcliff Primary Academy are Gatehouse Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 70% reading, 66% maths); Hazeldown School (1.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 81% maths); Our Lady and St Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths); and Teignmouth Primary School (2.4 miles, Good, 62% reading, 68% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Westcliff Primary Academy.

Westcliff Primary Academy is one of 29 schools run by The First Federation Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

66 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Westcliff Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (57%).

7.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (6%).

Westcliff Primary Academy has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Dawlish Rail Station, about 940 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westcliff School (w-bound), 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 69 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Westcliff Primary Academy issued 26 suspensions, 7.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.