Sherford Vale School & Nursery

About Sherford Vale School & Nursery

Sherford Vale School & Nursery was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, with inspectors awarding Good across every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. The school’s strongest academic metric comes from its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 cohort, where 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits comfortably above the Devon local authority average of 57%, placing the school in the top half of primary schools nationally. In reading specifically, 93% of pupils met the expected standard and 22% reached the higher standard, while in maths 85% met expectations and 26% achieved the higher threshold. Writing was the relative weak spot, with 67% at expected and 19% at the higher level. The school’s overall ranking score of 63 puts it 21st out of 35 primary schools in the South Hams area, and 106th out of 309 across the wider Devon local authority.

Looking more closely at the data, Sherford Vale’s average scaled scores of 107 in reading and 106 in maths are solid without being exceptional, and the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 11%. The school has no published progress scores for any of the three core subjects, so it’s not possible to say how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points. What is clear is that the school performs better in reading than in writing, and that its maths outcomes are particularly strong compared with the national picture. The Ofsted report noted that early years provision is also Good, which matters for a school that takes children from age two. With 30% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage, making its above-average attainment a noteworthy achievement.

Sherford Vale is a state primary for children aged 2 to 11, with a nursery on site and a current roll of 310 pupils against a capacity of 420. It was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 59 applications for 39 places, all of which went to first-preference families. The school offers a wide range of clubs including drama, book club, art, eco, science and film club, and its sports provision covers gymnastics, tennis, dance, athletics and swimming. Facilities include an outdoor playground, music rooms, a sports hall and a gymnasium. The school’s SEND register is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-subscribed community primary with strong reading and maths outcomes, a nursery start, and a clear commitment to inclusive provision.

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