Starcross Primary School

About Starcross Primary School

Ofsted's Parent View survey, based on responses from 68 families between September 2024 and September 2025, shows that 78% of parents would recommend Starcross Primary School. That's a solid endorsement, though it's worth noting that 22% said they wouldn't. The school is clearly popular locally: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 23 applications for just 16 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.44. All 16 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, so getting your child in as a first choice is realistic but not guaranteed. Parents broadly feel their children are happy and safe, with 87% agreeing or strongly agreeing on happiness and 88% on safety. However, the picture is more mixed on communication and support: only 57% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and just 38% felt the school gives SEND children the support they need — a figure that jumps out given that 35% of respondents said their child has SEND.

Academically, Starcross sits in a challenging position. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests, just 33% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Devon local authority average of 57%. That places the school 41st out of 43 primary schools in Teignbridge and in the bottom 5% nationally. Individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, with an average scaled score of 104, and 52% did so in maths (average score 99). But writing lagged behind at 38%, and no pupils achieved the higher standard in writing or in the combined measure. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in January 2025, judged overall effectiveness as Good — an improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2013, which rated the school as Requires Improvement. Leadership and management were also rated Good.

The school offers a wide range of facilities for a primary of 213 pupils, including a Forest School, sensory room, music rooms, sports hall and even a chapel. Sports provision covers football, netball, athletics, tennis and cricket, and there are clubs for choir, drama and film. SEND support is listed for eight categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and visual impairment — though the Parent View data suggests families with SEND children may want to investigate this area carefully before applying. With nursery provision on site, Starcross takes children from age two. The school is currently operating below its capacity of 234, with 213 pupils on roll, and 17.8% qualify for free school meals. It's a school that suits families who value a broad, active curriculum and are comfortable with a setting that is still working to lift its academic outcomes toward the local average.

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