Dartmouth Academy Review 2026: Small all through academy with strong relationships and clear routines

For families in Dartmouth and the surrounding villages, Dartmouth Academy has a distinct practical advantage, children can start in Nursery and stay through to GCSEs, with fewer transition shocks than many local alternatives. The school frames its culture around the mantra Be Your Best Self, repeated from early years upwards, and reinforced through a house system and student leadership roles that give pupils and students visible responsibility.

The latest graded inspection judged the school Good across every category, including early years provision. Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Academically, the picture is mixed by phase. Primary outcomes sit below England average on the FindMySchool ranking measure, while GCSE performance sits closer to the England mid range, with progress measures that point to work still to do. For parents, that usually translates into a school that feels caring and well organised day to day, and where the key question is how consistently learning gains are secured, especially in reading and in Key Stage 3 curriculum sequencing.

A small all through school lives or dies by relationships. Here, the official picture is of pupils who feel happy, and of staff who know families well. That matters in a town where many children arrive with long standing friendship groups from early years, and where families often want continuity rather than a series of fresh starts.

The school’s own messaging leans heavily on aspiration without gimmicks. The principal’s welcome describes an approach built around safety, care, and long lasting relationships across phases, with the same core language used from early years onwards. That consistency can be reassuring for children who benefit from predictable routines and familiar expectations.

Nursery provision is an integral part of the set up rather than an add on. Lead practitioners are named on the Nursery page, and the described approach is play based with a balance of adult led small group work and child led purposeful play, including outdoor and “risky play” to build motor skills and emotional regulation. Daily Read Write Inc phonics sessions are referenced, alongside activities such as finger gym, number rhymes, fun fit, pen pals for writing, and forest school. For families choosing early years places, the implication is clear, the school is explicitly trying to build independence and early language foundations rather than pushing formal schooling too soon.

The inspection evidence also supports the idea that the school tries to avoid being narrow despite its size. The report highlights a broad range of clubs and experiences, including sailing and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and notes that leaders try to ensure all pupils can access opportunities. In a smaller setting, that intentional approach to inclusion can matter more than the headline number of clubs.

Primary performance is best understood in two layers: attainment against national standards, and comparative position on the FindMySchool ranking.

In the most recently published Key Stage 2 measures 66.7% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. That is above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 18.7% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and mathematics, above the England average of 8%. Reading, mathematics and grammar punctuation and spelling scaled scores were 103, 102 and 104 respectively.

However, the FindMySchool primary ranking places the school below England average overall. Ranked 11,349th in England and 2nd in Dartmouth for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits below England average on this comparative measure. For parents, that combination usually means outcomes can be decent for many pupils, but not consistently strong enough across cohorts to shift the national ranking position.

At GCSE level, the dataset places Dartmouth Academy nearer the middle of the England distribution. Ranked 2,225th in England and 1st in Dartmouth for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results are broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

The finer detail suggests the school’s current challenge is securing stronger progress from starting points. The Progress 8 score is -0.47, indicating students make below average progress compared with similar pupils nationally. Attainment 8 is 43.1, EBacc average point score is 3.7, and 18.4% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subject suite.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these measures side by side using the Comparison Tool, especially useful when weighing Progress 8 against your child’s prior attainment profile.

Curriculum design is one of the clearest areas where Dartmouth Academy publishes practical detail, particularly in the secondary phase. Key Stage 3 is structured as a three year programme with a broad subject spread, including French, art, music, drama, IT and technology alongside the core subjects. Hours per fortnight are set out, which gives parents a concrete sense of emphasis, for example, French is allocated five hours per fortnight in Years 7 to 9.

At Key Stage 4, the school operates a two year GCSE programme. Pupils are encouraged to follow an EBacc aligned pathway, with core English, mathematics and science, plus humanities and a modern foreign language, and option blocks that include combinations such as food technology, art and design, sport science and photography. For students who enjoy practical or creative subjects, those options can be a meaningful part of motivation and attendance, especially in a smaller school where timetable viability can be an issue.

Subject pages add texture beyond the timetable. In English, the school describes a curriculum centred on high quality texts, structured reading aloud routines, explicit vocabulary teaching, and carefully scaffolded writing so pupils understand what good work looks like. That is reinforced by enrichment activities including Creative Writing Club, shadowing the Carnegie Medal Prize and UKLA Book Awards, and theatre trips and author workshops.

Inspection evidence indicates the curriculum is broadly well sequenced from Nursery and Reception upwards, but with some Key Stage 3 subjects still in development for Year 8 and Year 9, which can create variation in how securely knowledge builds over time. Early reading support is also described as systematic, with the caveat that some younger pupils can be over supported during programme delivery, slowing progress.

As an all through setting, internal transition at Year 6 to Year 7 is a major feature. The practical benefit is continuity, pupils already understand routines, staff already know families, and pastoral information carries forward without a hard reset. For some children, especially those who find change unsettling, that can be a decisive advantage.

Beyond GCSEs, the school’s published material places strong emphasis on preparing students for next steps through careers education, technical pathways and apprenticeships awareness, and personal development teaching. The inspection report notes meaningful engagement with employers and speakers across year groups, and preparation for further education and technical routes for older pupils.

Because published destination figures are not available here, the sensible approach for families considering post 16 routes is to ask directly about the current offer, typical pathways, and how subject availability is secured in small cohorts. The school’s admissions information does reference Year 12 processes and appeals, which suggests post 16 pathways may be available depending on cohort demand.

Admissions are coordinated through Devon’s normal round process for state schools. For September 2026 entry, Devon opened Year 7 applications on 01 September 2025 and closed them on 31 October 2025. Reception and primary applications opened on 15 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026. Late applications are possible, but can reduce the chance of securing a preferred school if it is oversubscribed.

Offer days matter as much as deadlines. Devon’s published normal round timetable indicates national offer dates of 02 March 2026 for Year 7 and 16 April 2026 for Reception. The school also publishes an admissions appeals timetable, including the Year 7 allocation date and the window for appeal submissions.

Demand levels in the most recent dataset available suggest competition is real, but not at the levels seen in large urban schools. For Reception entry, there were 21 applications for 16 offers, a ratio of 1.31 applications per place. For Year 7, there were 56 applications for 36 offers, a ratio of 1.56 applications per place. The practical implication is that parents should still treat the process as competitive, and should include realistic fallback preferences, but the ratios are not so extreme that local families should assume entry is unattainable.

Open events give the best sense of fit. For the 2026 intake cycle, the school scheduled secondary open mornings in September and October, and nursery and primary open mornings in November and December, with advance booking required. If you are planning for a later year, it is reasonable to expect a similar autumn pattern, but families should confirm the specific dates for their cohort.

Parents considering a move often use the FindMySchool Map Search to sense check proximity and travel practicality, even where formal distance cut offs are not published.

Pastoral strength in a smaller all through setting tends to come from two things, staff continuity and fast information flow. Inspection evidence indicates pupils feel welcomed at transition points and that the school is deliberate about supporting children who join at different stages. In lessons, pupils are described as respectful and focused on learning, with leaders raising expectations for classroom learning.

The school publishes clear safeguarding structures, including the designated safeguarding lead and deputy leads, and the inspection finding is that safeguarding arrangements are effective. For parents, the key practical step is to ask how concerns are logged and followed up across phases, particularly for children who move from primary into secondary within the same institution, where information continuity should be a strength.

Support for special educational needs is led by a named SENCo, and inspection evidence highlights staff training designed to help pupils access the same curriculum content with appropriate adaptation. For families already working with external professionals, the most useful admissions question is how plans are implemented in class, including what interventions mean for timetable time, and how progress is monitored in reading and core subjects.

In a school of this size, extracurricular life works best when it is structured and purposeful rather than simply extensive on paper. The inspection report points to deliberate effort to provide a broad set of clubs and experiences despite the school’s small scale, and it names sailing and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as examples. Those are high impact activities because they build confidence, teamwork and resilience in ways that show up back in classroom behaviour and attendance.

Primary extracurricular is framed through the Education South West “Eleven by Eleven” programme, which sets expectations for cultural, sporting, leadership and community experiences by the end of primary and by the end of Year 11. While the page is more about intent than a club list, it signals that enrichment is planned rather than left to chance, and that leadership opportunities and environmental activities are part of the model.

At subject level, there are more concrete examples. English enrichment includes Creative Writing Club and national book award shadowing, which tends to suit pupils who enjoy reading beyond the basics and who want structured ways to build confidence in writing and speaking. Physical education publishes a menu of clubs that includes trampolining, gymnastics, dance, health related fitness and tag rugby, options that can work for students who do not see themselves as traditional team sport specialists but still want a physical outlet after the school day.

Early years enrichment is also explicit. Nursery provision references forest school, action songs, number rhymes and structured phonics sessions as part of the weekly rhythm. For three and four year olds, that balance between outdoor play, language development and early routines can make the jump into Reception feel less daunting.

The school publishes detailed day timings by phase. Nursery runs 09:00 to 15:00 with lunch between 11:50 and 12:50. Reception and primary day timings run from 08:50 to 15:15, with break and lunch structured by age group. Year 7 to Year 11 includes tutor time and lessons running through to 15:15.

Wraparound care is not clearly set out on the school’s main timings page. Families who need breakfast or later after school provision should ask directly about current availability, pick up times, and whether provision is run by the school or a partner.

For transport, Dartmouth’s geography means travel time can vary sharply by village and by season. A practical admissions step is to time the route during school run hours, not just at weekends, and to check what the expected arrival and departure routines are for different phases.

• Primary outcomes versus ranking. Key Stage 2 attainment is above the England average on expected standard and higher standard measures, yet the school sits below England average on the FindMySchool primary ranking. Families should look closely at how consistency is secured across cohorts, particularly in reading.

• Early reading independence. The inspection report identifies a risk of some younger pupils being over supported during early reading programme delivery, which can slow progress. Parents of emerging readers should ask how staff balance support with independence practice.

• Key Stage 3 curriculum sequencing. Some Year 8 and Year 9 subject curricula were described as still being developed, which can lead to variation in how securely knowledge builds over time. For parents of academically motivated students, it is worth asking how curriculum planning has progressed since the inspection.

• Competition for places. Demand ratios suggest oversubscription for both Reception and Year 7. Families should apply on time, name realistic alternatives, and use open events to check fit rather than assuming a place will be available.

Dartmouth Academy offers something valuable in a coastal town setting, continuity from early years through GCSE, underpinned by close relationships and a clear behavioural and pastoral spine. The latest inspection judgement of Good across the board supports that picture, and enrichment such as sailing, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and structured student leadership adds breadth beyond lessons.

Who it suits: families who want a small all through school where children are known well, routines are explicit, and enrichment is planned, and who are willing to engage proactively with reading support and curriculum questions as pupils move into Key Stage 3.