Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School

About Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School

Aveton Gifford CofE Primary School sits comfortably above the Devon local authority average for primary schools when it comes to Key Stage 2 outcomes. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 57%, but at this school 69% of pupils achieved that benchmark in the 2023/24 academic year. That’s a notable 12 percentage point gap in the school’s favour. Digging deeper into the individual subjects, the picture is similarly strong: 75% of pupils hit the expected standard in both reading and maths, and 69% did so in writing. Where the school really shines is in reading at the higher standard — half of all pupils achieved that level, compared with 25% in maths and just 6% in writing. Nationally, the school ranks in the 34th percentile among all primary schools, and within the South West it sits in the 28th percentile. In the South Hams local area specifically, it ranks 16th out of 35 schools.

The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, back in 2012, awarded it an overall effectiveness rating of Good, and a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed that the school remains Good. Leadership and management were also rated Good at the last graded inspection, though the early years provision was judged as Requires Improvement at that time. With just 101 pupils on roll, the school is actually operating above its stated capacity of 70, which suggests it is a popular choice locally. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11.9%, which is broadly in line with national averages for a primary school. There is no nursery provision and no sixth form, so the school serves the standard primary age range of 4 to 11. The headteacher is Fern de Beer, and the school has a Church of England religious character.

For families considering this school, the facilities include an outdoor playground, a dining hall, a sports hall, a sensory room, a chapel and a Forest School programme. Sports on offer include football, cross country, athletics, dance, tennis and netball, while clubs range from gardening and choir to art club. The school has identified specific SEND provisions for pupils with dyslexia and hearing impairments. On admissions, the school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, with 13 applications for just 5 places — an oversubscription ratio of 2.6 to 1. All five first-preference applicants were offered a place, so while competition is real, being a first-choice applicant clearly helps. This is a school that suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a small, church-affiliated primary setting with a good range of outdoor and sporting activities, and who are prepared for a competitive admissions process in the South Hams area.

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