Dartington Church of England Academy

About Dartington Church of England Academy

Dartington Church of England Academy is a state primary school in Devon, serving children from age 2 to 11. In the South Hams area, it ranks 6th out of 35 primary schools, placing it comfortably in the top 25% of its local authority. The strongest-performing peers nearby include Stockland Church of England Primary Academy, Upottery Primary School, and Berry Pomeroy Parochial CofE Primary School, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. The school has a Church of England religious character and is led by headteacher Katie Coombe. With 289 pupils on roll against a capacity of 350, it is not yet full, but it was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 68 applications for 33 places. Around 16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is close to the national average for primary schools.

Academically, Dartington Church of England Academy performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared with a Devon local authority average of 57%. The school’s ranking score of 80 on this metric places it 138th out of 1,469 primary schools in the South West region and 1,600th nationally. Results in individual subjects are strong: 93% reached the expected standard in both reading and maths, while 85% did so in writing. At the higher standard, 48% of pupils achieved in reading, 18% in maths, and 10% in writing. Average scaled scores were 109 in reading and 106 in maths. The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2016, rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also Good. An ungraded inspection in July 2023 confirmed the school remains Good, and early years provision was rated Good.

The school offers a range of facilities including music rooms, art studios, a gymnasium, a forest school, and a chapel. Sports provision covers dance, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, and cricket, while extracurricular clubs include book club, coding, gardening, chess, and eco club. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication difficulties, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. The school has nursery provision for children from age 2, making it a convenient choice for families seeking a single-site primary journey. Given its strong academic outcomes, Church of England character, and range of facilities, Dartington Church of England Academy is particularly well-suited to families in the South Hams area who value above-average attainment and a broad, active school experience.

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