West Down School

North Devon · EX34 8NF

General information Primary School · 2-11 years Who goes here 95 pupils, 14.7% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 21.1% on SEN support Behaviour Awaiting data Staff Awaiting data Financials £6,802 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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West Down School

General Information

Address: West Down, Ilfracombe, EX34 8NF – View on map
Phone: 01271863461
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Faye Poynter
Age range: 2-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 10 families put it first for 10 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area.
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

95 pupils out of 105 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 14
% eligible for free school meals: 14.7%
Pupil mix: 1 in 10 (less mixed than the North Devon average)
English as an additional language: 1% (England 22%)

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Devon: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 8 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 6 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Devon (the council area this school is in), not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 21.1%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.2%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 8 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 5 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Vision impairment: 1 pupil

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

–

SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2019 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Year 6 SATs results for this school haven't been added yet.

View full Ofsted inspection report

28th of 33 primary schools in North Devon for Ofsted rating

#26Swimbridge Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#27Umberleigh Primary AcademyGood
#28West Down SchoolGood
#29Woolacombe SchoolGood
#30Yeo Valley Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Ashleigh CofE Primary SchoolGood
#2Berrynarbor Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#3Bratton Fleming Community Primary SchoolGood
#4Brayford AcademyGood
#5Caen Community Primary SchoolGood
#6Chulmleigh Primary SchoolGood
#7Combe Martin Primary SchoolGood
#8East Anstey Primary SchoolGood
#9East Worlington Primary SchoolGood
#10Georgeham Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#11Goodleigh Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#12Holywell Church of England SchoolGood
#13Instow Community Primary and Pre-SchoolGood
#14Kentisbury Primary SchoolGood
#15Kings Nympton Community Primary SchoolGood
#16Landkey Community Primary AcademyGood
#17Lynton Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#18North Molton Primary SchoolGood
#19Orchard Vale Community SchoolGood
#20Parracombe Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#21Rackenford Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#22Roundswell Community Primary AcademyGood
#23South Molton Community Primary SchoolGood
#24Southmead SchoolGood
#25Sticklepath Community Primary AcademyGood
#26Swimbridge Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#27Umberleigh Primary AcademyGood
#28West Down SchoolGood
#29Woolacombe SchoolGood
#30Yeo Valley Primary SchoolGood
#31Eden Park AcademyRequires improvement
#32Marwood SchoolRequires improvement
#33South Molton United CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,802 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

19th of 36 primary schools in North Devon for spending per pupil

#17Witheridge Church of England Primary Academy£6,864
#18Southmead School£6,848
#19West Down School£6,802
#20Orchard Vale Community School£6,744
#21Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple£6,664

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Shirwell Community Primary School£14,000
#2Bratton Fleming Community Primary School£11,721
#3Holywell Church of England School£11,012
#4Brayford Academy£10,828
#5Kentisbury Primary School£10,349
#6Georgeham Church of England Primary School£9,143
#7East Anstey Primary School£9,085
#8East Worlington Primary School£8,965
#9Ashleigh CofE Primary School£8,476
#10Umberleigh Primary Academy£7,792
#11Swimbridge Church of England Primary School£7,601
#12Bishops Tawton Primary School£7,383
#13Horwood and Newton Tracey Community Primary School£7,313
#14South Molton United CofE Primary School£7,031
#15Kingsacre Primary School£6,952
#16Goodleigh Church of England Primary School£6,893
#17Witheridge Church of England Primary Academy£6,864
#18Southmead School£6,848
#19West Down School£6,802
#20Orchard Vale Community School£6,744
#21Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple£6,664
#22Caen Community Primary School£6,616
#23Instow Community Primary and Pre-School£6,544
#24Woolacombe School£6,302
#25Combe Martin Primary School£6,000
#26Chulmleigh Primary School£5,529
#27Marwood School£4,186
#28Eden Park Academy£4,155
#29Landkey Community Primary Academy£3,833
#30North Molton Primary School£3,789
#31Sticklepath Community Primary Academy£3,463
#32Newport Community School Primary Academy£3,451
#33Fremington Primary School£2,976
#34South Molton Community Primary School£2,974
#35Roundswell Community Primary Academy£2,644
#36Yeo Valley Primary School£54

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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