Montpelier Primary School

About Montpelier Primary School

Of the 103 parents who responded to Ofsted's Parent View survey between September 2024 and September 2025, a striking 90% said they would recommend Montpelier Primary School to other parents. That confidence is backed up by the school's popularity: for the 2025/26 academic year, Montpelier received 167 applications for just 82 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.04. All 74 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the numbers show that competition is real. Parents gave particularly strong feedback on their children's happiness, with 71% strongly agreeing that their child is happy at the school, and 73% strongly agreeing that their child feels safe. On behaviour, 92% agreed or strongly agreed that the school ensures pupils are well behaved. The picture is slightly more mixed on SEND support: while 83% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that children with special educational needs get the support they need, 17% disagreed, which is worth noting if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Academically, Montpelier's most recent graded Ofsted inspection in September 2019 rated it Good across all areas, and an ungraded inspection in November 2024 confirmed that standards have been maintained. At Key Stage 2, 51% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Plymouth local authority average of 63%. The school's ranking within Plymouth is 50th out of 65 primary schools on this measure, placing it in the bottom half of the local authority. Looking at individual subjects, 74% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, 68% in maths, and 60% in writing. The average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 104 in maths, both slightly above the national benchmark of 100. However, only 4% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, and the school's national percentile of 76 means it sits just below the middle of the pack nationally.

Montpelier is a large primary school with 641 pupils on roll, operating very close to its capacity of 654. It is a non-denominational, mixed state school for children aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form provision. The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, music rooms, an ICT suite and a dining hall, plus a chapel. Sports provision covers dance, cross country, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, rounders and tennis, while clubs include drama, choir, science club, art club and eco club. The school's SEND register covers seven areas of need, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. For families considering Montpelier, the combination of strong parent satisfaction and high demand suggests a well-regarded local school, though the below-average KS2 outcomes mean it may suit families who prioritise pastoral care and a broad range of activities over top-tier academic results.

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