Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School

About Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School

Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School is a popular choice among local families, with 40 applications for 25 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.6. All 25 first-preference applicants received offers, which suggests the school is a realistic option for those who live nearby and prioritise it. While the school does not publish a parent-view recommendation percentage, the strong application numbers speak to its reputation. The school is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, with a Church of England character, and is led by headteacher Rachel Patterson-Azzopardi. It has capacity for 230 pupils but currently enrols 157, so there is some room for growth. A notable 40.4 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average and indicates a diverse intake.

Academically, the school has made a significant turnaround. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023, it received a Good rating across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a marked improvement from its previous inspection in 2017, when it was rated Inadequate overall. At Key Stage 2 in the 2023/24 academic year, 77 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is comfortably above the Devon local authority average of 57 per cent. Reading scores were particularly strong, with an average scaled score of 108 and 42 per cent of pupils achieving the higher standard. In maths, the average score was 104, with 15 per cent reaching the higher threshold. Nationally, the school ranks in the top 16 per cent of all primary schools for the combined expected standard.

The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a library, forest school, sports hall, sensory room, ICT suite, music rooms and a chapel. Sports provision includes athletics, rounders, tennis, swimming and dance, while clubs range from drama and choir to gardening, film club and eco club. The school is well equipped to support pupils with additional needs, with SEND provisions covering moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. This breadth of support, combined with the school’s strong academic outcomes and oversubscribed status, makes it a solid fit for families in the South Hams area who want a community-focused primary with a clear track record of improvement and inclusive provision.

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