The Grove School

About The Grove School

The Grove School in South Hams is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 74 applications for just 48 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.54, meaning over half of applicants missed out. All 48 first-preference families were offered a place, which suggests that while demand is high, those who put it as their top choice have a strong chance. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site, and is led by headteacher Hilary Priest. It currently has 311 pupils, just shy of its 315 capacity, and 16.1 per cent of children are eligible for free school meals. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. That’s a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2010, but still a solid endorsement.

Academically, the school performs well above the local average. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 79 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Devon average of 57 per cent. That puts The Grove School in the top 25 per cent nationally and 7th out of 35 schools in South Hams. In reading, 92 per cent met the expected standard and 63 per cent reached a higher score, while in maths 94 per cent met the expected standard and 40 per cent achieved the higher mark. The average reading score was 110 and the average maths score was 108, both comfortably above the national benchmark. Writing was slightly lower, with 81 per cent at expected and 27 per cent at the higher level. The school doesn’t publish progress scores, so it’s hard to say how much value it adds, but the raw outcomes are strong.

The school offers a decent range of facilities, including a gymnasium, music rooms, an ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, athletics, cricket, dance, cross country and gymnastics, while clubs cover drama, choir, book club, film club and gardening. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for a wide range of conditions, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. The Grove School suits families who want a well-regarded local primary with strong academic results and a broad extracurricular offer, but who are prepared for the fact that it is oversubscribed and will need to apply early.

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