Instow Community Primary and Pre-School Review 2026: Small-school warmth, with strong reading and a clear local identity

Instow is a primary school, so the headline academic benchmark families tend to care about is Key Stage 2 performance. the 2024 combined measure shows 70.67% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared with the England average of 62%. That is a meaningful margin for a small cohort, and it suggests the core curriculum is delivering securely for most pupils.

Looking beneath the headline figure helps clarify what is driving that overall outcome.

• Reading: 78% reached the expected standard and the average scaled score is 104. On a small roll, this can indicate a strong phonics-to-comprehension journey, particularly when combined with visible reading culture initiatives in school communications.

• Mathematics: 67% reached the expected standard with an average scaled score of 103. This is solid and broadly consistent with the overall combined result.

• GPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling): the average scaled score is 102, with 56% meeting the expected standard.

• Science: the figures record 100% reaching the expected standard. As always with science at KS2, it is important to read this alongside cohort size and the fact that small numbers can create sharp swings year to year.

Higher-attaining outcomes are present but more modest. In 2024, 18.67% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 8%. That is a positive signal for stretch at the top end.

On rankings, the school is ranked 11,106th in England for primary outcomes and 9th locally in Bideford using the FindMySchool ranking based on official data. In plain English, that England position aligns with below-England-average performance overall when compared across all ranked primaries. Rankings should never be the sole decision tool, but they can help families calibrate expectations, particularly if you are comparing multiple nearby options.

If you are building a shortlist, the FindMySchool local hub and comparison tools are useful for viewing these outcomes alongside neighbouring schools in the same local area, especially because small primaries can vary meaningfully by cohort from year to year.

A key insight from the latest inspection report is that curriculum direction is in motion. External evaluation identified that, in some subjects, curriculum implementation was not consistently strong and that learning did not always build securely on what pupils had learned before. That is a very specific improvement focus, and it tends to translate into schools tightening sequencing, staff subject knowledge in foundation subjects, and the consistency of checks for understanding.

At the same time, the same evidence base describes effective support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, including leaders collaborating with teachers and parents to set appropriate targets and adapt the curriculum. For families with children who need adjustments, the practical question is usually less about whether support exists and more about how it is applied day to day. The description here suggests a model where adaptations are embedded rather than bolted on.

Reading appears to be an explicit priority, which aligns with the relatively strong reading outcome. A January 2026 newsletter frames 2026 as “The Year of Reading” and invites parents to come into class to read a favourite children’s book. That sounds simple, but it is often effective: it signals to pupils that reading is valued beyond tests, and it can help reluctant readers see books as shared rather than solitary.

For Key Stage 2 families who want practical tools at home, the school also signposts support via Atom Learning for eligible pupils, with free home accounts for Years 3 to 6 children who qualify for Pupil Premium. The page notes the product is normally priced at £575.90 per year, which gives a sense of the value of that support for eligible families.

For most families, the Year 6 transition question is less about a long list of possible secondaries and more about the most common destination and how well the school prepares pupils for it.

Devon’s local authority profile lists Bideford College as a feeder destination for Instow. That is useful because it gives parents a realistic default pathway to explore, even if individual families choose alternatives.

Preparation for transition tends to work best when it includes both academic readiness and independence skills. Here, inspection evidence describes pupils learning life skills alongside curriculum adaptations where needed, which is relevant because the jump to secondary is as much about organisation and confidence as it is about subject content.

Reception admissions are coordinated by Devon County Council rather than handled directly by the school. The school’s admissions page makes a clear distinction between main school admissions, which go through the local authority, and pre-school places, which are applied for directly.

The figures suggest demand is higher than places. For the primary entry route, there were 32 applications for 20 offers, and the school is marked oversubscribed with 1.6 applications per place applications per place. In practice, that means you should assume competition in most years, even if the absolute numbers are modest.

For September 2026 entry in Devon, the local authority states that applications open 15 November 2025 and close 15 January 2026. Exact deadlines matter, particularly in competitive areas, so it is worth treating these dates as immovable unless Devon updates them.

Distance data is not provided for this school, so any decision here should be based on Devon’s published admissions criteria and your own realistic assessment of how oversubscription rules apply to your address.

Safeguarding is the non-negotiable baseline for any primary, and the latest inspection report states safeguarding arrangements are effective and describes a strong safeguarding culture, regular updates for staff, and pupils learning how to stay safe online. That is the kind of operational detail that usually indicates systems are embedded rather than superficial.

The same report also highlights pupils learning about relationships, recognising positive versus negative relationships, and understanding physical and mental health. For parents, this tends to show up in the way a school handles friendship issues early, teaches boundaries, and creates a shared language for respectful behaviour.

Extracurricular provision at a small school can be highly variable by term and by staff capacity, so the most reliable approach is to look for named, evidenced examples rather than generic claims.

Three concrete examples appear in the published material:

• Wellie walks for early years children, described as exploring the local environment. This is a practical, place-based approach that can support vocabulary development, curiosity and physical confidence, particularly for younger pupils.

• A musical theatre club, referenced in the inspection report as part of pupils’ broader personal development activities. Creative arts opportunities like this can be especially valuable in smaller schools because they give pupils a different arena to build confidence beyond classroom learning.

• Residentials for older pupils, again referenced in the inspection report. Residential experiences at primary age often have an outsized impact, because they develop independence, teamwork and resilience quickly, and they can change the dynamic for pupils who are quieter in the classroom.

School communications also indicate Year 4 residential activity planned with Rock n Rapids mentioned in a January 2026 newsletter, which suggests residentials are not just theoretical but operational.

The published school day is clear. Gates open at 8:45am, register opens at 9:00am, and home time is 3:30pm, totalling 32.5 hours per week.

Wraparound care information is less clear from the core pages. There is a “Sunrise Club” page, but it is currently awaiting content, and the most concrete reference appears in a January 2026 newsletter reminding parents to book Sunrise Club sessions in advance using the ParentMail app. The practical takeaway is that a breakfast or early-morning option appears to exist, but families should confirm timings, eligibility and cost directly with the school because the details are not fully published in one place.

For transport and onward planning, the Devon profile provides helpful context that Bideford College is a feeder destination and that the school is part of the Atlantic Coast Co-operative Trust, which can matter if you are interested in how schools collaborate locally.

• Small cohorts cut both ways. A close-knit environment can suit many children, but outcomes and peer dynamics can swing more noticeably year to year because each cohort is a larger proportion of the whole school.

• Curriculum consistency is a declared improvement area. External evaluation highlights that some subjects were not implemented consistently well, which is the sort of issue that can take time to settle as staff align sequencing and expectations.

• Oversubscription is real. The most recent admissions data indicates 1.6 applications per place for the primary entry route, so deadline discipline and understanding the admissions criteria are important.

• Wraparound detail is not fully published. Sunrise Club is referenced, but the core page is awaiting content, so you will want to confirm hours and practicalities before relying on it for childcare planning.

Instow Community Primary and Pre-School offers what many families actively seek in a village primary: small scale, a strong sense of local identity, and a clear focus on reading and wellbeing. The 2024 data shows a combined expected-standard result above the England average, with reading a particular bright spot.

Best suited to families who value a smaller, familiar setting and who want a school with a strong safeguarding culture and a visible push on reading. The main challenge is admission in a consistently oversubscribed context, and families should also check how fully curriculum changes have embedded since the latest inspection.