Feniton Church of England Primary School

About Feniton Church of England Primary School

Feniton Church of England Primary School is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, located in the East Devon borough. The school is currently operating above its official capacity, with 237 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210. This oversubscription is reflected in its admission data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 32 applications for 19 places, with all 19 first-preference applicants offered a spot, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.68. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 12.2 per cent, which is slightly below the national average for primary schools but sits within a typical range for a village setting in Devon. The school’s religious character is Church of England, and the headteacher is Amanda Fulford. The combination of above-capacity pupil numbers and strong first-preference demand suggests a school that is well-regarded locally, particularly among families who value its church affiliation and its position within the East Devon community.

Academically, Feniton’s most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023 rated the school as Good overall, with Good in every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2008, when it was rated Outstanding. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 53 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. This is below the Devon local authority average of 57 per cent and places the school in the bottom 50 per cent nationally, ranking 25th out of 44 schools in East Devon. However, individual subject scores are stronger: 80 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, and 63 per cent did so in both maths and writing. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 103 in maths, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. No progress scores are available, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sensory room, ICT suite, music rooms, library, art studios, sports hall, chapel, and outdoor playground with playing fields. Sports provision includes cricket, rounders, dance and tennis, and clubs such as film, eco and book club are available. SEND provisions are well-documented, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no nursery provision or sixth form. Feniton is best suited to families seeking a Church of England primary with a strong local reputation and a clear demand for places, but who are comfortable with academic outcomes that sit around the local average. The school’s above-capacity roll and oversubscribed admissions suggest it is a popular choice within its catchment, and the range of facilities and SEND support indicates a school that invests in both pastoral care and enrichment.

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