West Croft School

Community school · Primary, ages 2 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class

Coronation Road, Bideford, EX39 3DE

01237 473548 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 15 February 2022
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths38%England 62% · 2024/25
Joint 9th highest of 10 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 5% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils417Room for 630 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 658 in 2019, 607 in 2021, 571 in 2022, 561 in 2023, 521 in 2024, 484 in 2025, 417 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.028 for 29 places, September 2026
6th highest of 12 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 44% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 15 February 2022.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Early yearsGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

84 pupils in this year group.

38% — 21 points below the Devon average, and 24 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolDevonEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 38% 59% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 65% 75% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 42% 70% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 52% 72% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 101 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 100 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 23%This school 2023/24: 29%This school 2024/25: 38% This school England 62% 2022/23 23% 2023/24 29% 2024/25 38%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Devon. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered29
Families who put it first28
Of those, offered a place28 (100%)
Families who listed it at all37

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Devon

Pupils, staff and SEND

Specialist SEND provision: this school has resourced provision with 10 places for speech, language and communication needs. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.

PupilsThis schoolDevonEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
1st highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 83% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
42.8% 20.0%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
2nd highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 78% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
4.8% 3.9%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
2nd highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 66% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
16.7% 15.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
3rd highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 31% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
4.5% 6.2%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
11th lowest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Lower than 17% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
6.5% 5.0%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
13th lowest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Lower than 13% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
20.5% 10.9%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
12th lowest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Lower than 19% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
4.3 3.3 2.5
Pupils suspended at least once
11th lowest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Lower than 21% of 16,651 state primary schools in England.
1.9% 1.3% 1.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.04% 0.03%
Pupils per teacher
5th highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 53% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
20.9 20.2 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
9th highest of 13 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 14% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
8.4 10.6 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
Joint 1st highest of 11 state primary schools in Bideford.
Higher than 68% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
18.0% 17.8%* 14.4%*

Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is West Croft School's Ofsted rating?

West Croft School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 15 February 2022.

How did West Croft School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 38% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 24 points below the England average of 62%.

Is West Croft School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 28 families put West Croft School as their first choice for 29 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 28 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.