Upton St James CofE Primary School

About Upton St James CofE Primary School

Parent feedback at Upton St James CofE Primary School is notably positive, with 70% of respondents saying they would recommend the school to other parents. The school is also oversubscribed: for its 9 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 25 applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.78. All 9 offers went to first-preference families. In the Parent View survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, strong majorities agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school (95%) and feels safe there (95%). However, there are some areas of concern: 15% disagreed that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 25% disagreed that concerns are dealt with properly. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, rated it Requires Improvement overall, though inspectors judged early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes all as Good.

Academically, the school's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 place it at the bottom of Torbay's 29 primary schools, ranked 29th. Just 20% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the local authority average of 61%. In reading, 67% reached the expected standard and 20% achieved a higher score, but in maths only 33% met the expected standard and none reached the higher threshold. Writing was stronger, with 73% at the expected standard. The school's average maths score was 98, and its average reading score was 103. Nationally, the school sits in the bottom 1% of all primary schools for the combined expected standard metric. The previous Ofsted inspection, in 2012, rated the school Good overall, so the current Requires Improvement grade represents a decline.

The school serves a small community of 98 pupils against a capacity of 105, and half of its pupils are eligible for free school meals. Facilities include a sports hall, playing fields, an ICT suite, a library, music rooms and a chapel. SEND support is listed for specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Clubs include chess, choir and gardening, and sports offered include swimming, rounders, athletics, cross country and cricket. The school is a Church of England primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form. Given its small size and high FSM percentage, it may suit families who value a close-knit, inclusive setting, though the academic outcomes and Ofsted rating are important factors to weigh.

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