Landscore Primary School Review 2026: High-attaining Crediton primary with strong routines and real responsibility

ACHIEVE is more than a poster here. Pupils are trusted with real jobs, and they talk about them with pride, from helping in the school garden to caring for hens and quail, and organising recycling across the school.

This is a large, maintained primary in Crediton, with a mixed intake and a full primary age range. The atmosphere described in formal reviews is settled and purposeful, with adults setting clear expectations and pupils learning to manage behaviour and feelings from early years onwards.

Academically, recent key stage 2 outcomes are a clear strength. In 2024, 83.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. A sizeable share also reached the higher standard, suggesting strong stretch for confident learners.

For families, the practical headline is this. It is a state school with no tuition fees; the pressure point is availability. Reception demand data indicates more applications than offers, so understanding admissions timings and criteria matters.

Pupils are described as enjoying school, feeling well looked after, and benefiting from care and support that is taken seriously. Expectations for behaviour are high, and the approach starts early, with staff helping children manage feelings as well as conduct. That combination tends to produce classrooms where learning time is protected and pupils feel safe taking academic risks.

The values framework is unusually concrete. ACHIEVE is used as a shared language for ambition, collaboration, and respectful conduct, and it is also threaded into how pupils learn about other religions and cultures. This matters in a non-faith school because it signals that personal development is not treated as an optional extra.

Responsibility is a visible part of the culture. The school garden is not just decoration, it is part of pupil life, alongside caring for hens and quail and running recycling. Those are small details with a large implication. When pupils are trusted to do useful things, they tend to behave as if they belong.

The school also leans into civic education. Pupils vote for school council representatives, and formal review notes involvement with a parliamentary select committee about online behaviour. Combined with frequent reminders about online safety, this suggests digital citizenship is treated as a taught habit rather than a one-off assembly theme.

Key stage 2 outcomes are strong in the most recent published data. In 2024, 83.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 30.67% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths combined, against an England average of 8%. These figures point to both secure fundamentals and effective stretch for higher-attaining pupils.

Scaled scores reinforce that picture. Reading was 108, mathematics 107, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 108 in 2024. Those are well above the national reference point of 100 used for scaled scores, and they align with a school that has consistent routines in early reading and a solid maths spine through key stage 2.

In FindMySchool’s rankings based on official data, Landscore is ranked 2,387th in England for primary outcomes and 2nd locally in the Crediton area. That position places it comfortably within the top 25% of primaries in England. When you are comparing nearby options, the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool can be a helpful way to view these outcomes side by side, using the same measures for each school.

Early reading appears to be a defining strength. The reading programme is described as well thought out, with a clear and structured phonics approach starting in Reception, and reading books matched to the sounds pupils are learning. The implication for families is straightforward. Children who need structure and repetition in the early stages of reading are likely to benefit from the consistency of approach, while confident readers should find enough momentum to keep progressing.

Subject teaching is described as benefiting from staff with secure subject knowledge who promote precise vocabulary. That matters because it is one of the easiest things for schools to claim and one of the harder things to do well. In practice, it usually shows up in pupils being able to explain concepts clearly rather than just complete tasks.

Mathematics is singled out as a subject where teaching builds securely on pupils’ prior learning, supporting pupils to apply knowledge well. For children who thrive on cumulative learning, this kind of sequencing can be particularly effective, because it reduces the chance of shaky foundations later on.

An identified development area is the precision and consistency of assessment in some foundation subjects, which can lead to occasional gaps in knowledge. Another is the need for some subject leaders to strengthen oversight of curriculum implementation. For parents, the useful takeaway is not alarm, it is a focus for questions. Ask how the school checks what pupils remember over time in subjects like history and science, and how subject leadership is supported to maintain consistency across classes.

Most pupils in Crediton typically move on to local secondary provision. Landscore sits within the group of primary schools recognised as a named linked school for Queen Elizabeth’s School, Crediton, which is relevant context for transition planning and local admissions patterns.

In practical terms, that linkage tends to support smoother transition work, shared expectations, and familiarisation activities for Year 6 pupils. For families, the key point is to start secondary thinking early in Year 5 if you are considering options outside the local pathway, because transport, peer group continuity, and after-school logistics all become more complex once you move beyond the nearest provision.

If your child is highly academic and you are considering selective routes, it is worth planning enrichment and reading breadth early rather than relying on a last-minute push in Year 6. The school’s structured approach to reading and vocabulary development can support that kind of preparation, but families still need a clear plan for the secondary route that fits their child.

Reception entry is coordinated through Devon’s normal admissions process for state schools. The school states that Reception places are offered from the September after a child’s fourth birthday, with flexibility for parents to choose part-time or full-time start, and options to defer in line with statutory guidance.

Demand data suggests it is not a walk-in option. For the most recent admissions snapshot provided here, there were 52 applications for 39 offers for the main entry route, which indicates oversubscription and the potential for disappointment without a realistic plan B.

Timing matters. For September 2026 entry, the Devon application window ran from 15 November 2025 to 15 January 2026, and allocations for primary places are typically issued in mid April, for example 16 April 2026 is used as the allocation date in published local admissions materials.

As of 27 January 2026, that deadline has passed; families should expect a similar mid-January deadline for September 2027 entry and should check Devon’s admissions guidance for the exact dates.

The school also notes that in-year admissions are handled via the same local authority route and suggests the process typically takes around three weeks from start to finish.

Parents worried about distance should use FindMySchoolMap Search to check their exact home-to-school distance and understand how it compares with historic local demand patterns.

Pastoral strength shows up in the detail. Pupils report that bullying is rare and that adults help resolve issues when they occur, which points to a school that acts early rather than waiting for patterns to harden.

Safeguarding is treated as a whole-school responsibility, with staff trained to recognise and record concerns, and leaders working with other agencies when needed. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Support for additional needs appears embedded rather than bolted on. Formal review notes careful identification of individual needs and the use of interventions to help pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities access the full curriculum. The school is also explicit about key safeguarding and SEND leads in its published information, which usually signals clarity of roles and routes for families seeking help.

Landscore does well when extracurricular life connects to the school’s wider priorities, rather than being a long list of clubs that change each term. The most distinctive strand is environmental and community responsibility: gardening, caring for animals, and running recycling are not typical primary-school add-ons, and they give pupils a sense of competence and contribution.

Activities are also broader than the usual sports-only picture. The school describes opportunities including dance, French, drama, environmental education, Kung Fu, Film Club, chess and art, and it hosts visiting music teachers for individual and group lessons across a range of instruments. For children who are still figuring out what they enjoy, that mix can be genuinely useful, it offers multiple ways to belong.

Wraparound provision is a practical strength. Kidz Star Club operates as an inclusive before and after school club, and it is registered separately from the school, which matters for parents who need reliable childcare that runs beyond the school day. Its published offer includes breakfast provision and sessions extending to 6.00pm.

Charity and outward-facing activity also feature. The school is described as raising money for charities and sponsoring a schoolchild in Uganda. Done well, this kind of work helps pupils connect local kindness with global awareness, without turning it into performative fundraising.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

The published school day runs from 9.00am to 3.30pm. Gates open at 8.45am, registers are taken at 9.00am, and afternoon timings vary slightly by phase, including lunchtime timing differences for younger and older pupils.

For families who need wraparound care, Kidz Star Club offers morning sessions from 7.45am and after-school sessions that can run until 6.00pm, with a published pricing structure and an initial registration fee.

For transport, most families will find local walking and driving routines are workable in this part of Crediton, but parking pressure at drop-off is common around larger primaries; it is sensible to ask about preferred drop-off approaches and any active travel expectations when you visit.

• Assessment consistency in some subjects. External review highlighted that checks on what pupils know and understand are not always as precise in some foundation subjects, which can leave occasional knowledge gaps. Ask how the school is tightening retrieval and end-point checks across the wider curriculum.

• Developing subject leadership. Some subject leaders were identified as needing greater rigour in monitoring how consistently the curriculum is implemented. Families who value a very consistent experience across classes should ask how subject leaders are supported and how leaders assure quality.

• Oversubscription risk. The main entry point shows more applications than offers in the available data. Have a realistic second preference, and understand the criteria that tend to matter most locally.

• Large-school feel. With a published capacity of 420, this is not a small village primary. Many children love the bustle and breadth; more anxious pupils may need careful settling, especially in Reception and at the start of key stage 2.

Landscore Primary School combines strong key stage 2 outcomes with a culture that treats responsibility as something pupils practise, not just talk about. It will suit families who want a purposeful, well-organised school day, strong reading foundations, and enrichment that includes environmental learning and real-world contribution alongside sport and arts. The limiting factor is often admission rather than education; plan early, understand deadlines, and keep a clear backup option.