Matford Brook Academy is a relatively new, state funded all through school in Matford, Exeter, designed to grow year by year until it serves ages 2 to 16. That matters for parents because the experience is shaped less by long established tradition and more by startup clarity: routines being set, culture being written, and systems being built with the advantage of modern planning.
Leadership is already clearly defined. The school lists Ms Emily Simpson-Horne as Headteacher, and government records also identify her as headteacher. The trust context is also important: Matford Brook Academy sits within The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, which provides governance, shared standards, and wider capacity as the school expands.
For families weighing it up in 2026, the main headline is this: there is no Ofsted report published yet for this URN, so parents need to judge fit through the school’s published priorities, admissions clarity, and the practical realities of a growing roll, rather than leaning on external inspection narrative.
A new school has to be explicit about who it is, because there is no inherited culture to fall back on. Matford Brook Academy foregrounds that sense of collective identity through its public messaging and structure as an all through community. The tone is future focused and development minded, with the trust positioning the school as part of a wider family rather than a standalone institution.
The “all through” model tends to create two cultural advantages when done well. First, pupils can settle early without the disruption of a Year 6 to Year 7 cliff edge. Second, staff can build a coherent approach to routines and expectations across phases, with fewer competing sub cultures. Matford Brook’s admissions information explicitly links Reception entry to an expectation of automatic transfer into the secondary phase at Year 7, which signals an intent to build continuity as a defining feature.
Because the school is still building cohorts, the social experience is likely to feel different from a fully mature 1,400 pupil roll. Early cohorts can benefit from visibility and attention, with leadership able to be highly present. The trade off is that some “big school” rhythms, broad peer choice, and long running traditions only develop over time.
For most schools, this section leans heavily on published attainment and progress measures. Here, the reality is simpler: the available results for this school does not include published Key Stage 2 or GCSE performance figures, and the school is not currently presented with a standard Ofsted graded outcome. That is consistent with a setting that is new and still developing year groups.
What parents can assess instead is academic intent and the practical conditions that support learning. The school is structured as an all through provision to age 16, which typically means curriculum planning is designed to avoid repetition, align knowledge building across phases, and prepare pupils steadily for GCSE study later on. The best evidence for this in the short term is usually curriculum documentation, subject plans, and how clearly the school communicates expectations to families.
If you are comparing local options, use FindMySchool’s local tools to keep your shortlist organised, then revisit published results once cohorts reach the relevant key stages and validated performance data becomes available.
In a growing school, teaching quality is often defined by systems rather than legacy. The critical questions for parents are therefore operational and concrete:
Curriculum coherence across phases. An all through model can be a genuine advantage if primary foundations are deliberately built to serve later secondary demands, rather than operating as two loosely connected schools under one name. Matford Brook’s published admissions position, with explicit continuity into Year 7, indicates the school is aiming for that joined up experience.
Consistency of routines. New schools can get this right quickly because expectations are set from day one, without the inertia of “how it has always been done”. The trust context can support this by bringing shared practice from established schools.
For parents, the implication is practical: ask specifically how reading is taught in early years and primary, how language and vocabulary are developed, and how that feeds into secondary subject learning. Also ask how assessment is handled as cohorts expand, and how interventions are targeted without long historical data.
This is an all through school to age 16, so the main transition point many families think about, Year 6 to Year 7, is designed to be internal rather than competitive. The admissions documentation describes that children admitted into Reception are expected to transfer automatically into the secondary phase in Year 7.
That continuity can suit pupils who benefit from stability, especially those who find large transitions unsettling. It can also simplify family logistics: one set of routines, one pastoral system, and one long term peer group.
At 16, families will then weigh post 16 choices elsewhere, given the school currently states its age range through Year 11. If your child is likely to want a particular sixth form pathway, it is sensible to explore local Exeter post 16 options early, and understand what guidance and transition support the school provides as cohorts reach Year 11.
Matford Brook Academy is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. The admissions focus is therefore about places, priorities, and timing.
The admissions results indicates oversubscription pressure for both entry routes recorded:
Reception route: 19 applications for 13 offers, with an oversubscribed status.
Year 7 route: 145 applications for 77 offers, also oversubscribed.
This suggests meaningful competition for places, even while the school is still building its roll. (No distance cut off is available provided, so parents should not assume proximity will be enough without checking the latest local guidance.)
For September 2026 to 2027 entry, the school’s published admissions overview states an admission number of 60 for Reception and 90 for Year 7. This aligns with the admissions policy document for 2026 to 2027, which sets PAN figures and explains that the Year 7 number relates to external applicants in addition to internal progression from Year 6 as cohorts develop.
The school publishes specific timings for Reception entry in September 2026:
Applications opened 15 November 2025 for Reception entry in September 2026.
The 2026 to 2027 admissions policy states the normal round window for Reception applications as 15 November 2025 to 15 January 2026, with offers (decision) 16 April 2026.
For Year 7, the same policy states the normal round window as 1 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, with offers (decision) 2 March 2026.
Because published dates can change year to year, treat these as the authoritative dates for the 2026 cycle, then confirm future cycles directly through the most current policy.
The school’s primary transition page references a visit opportunity in early December for Reception entry families. If you are planning for later years, it is safest to assume open events tend to cluster in late autumn and early winter, then check the school’s latest announcements for current booking arrangements.
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1st preference success rate
69 of 69 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
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Offers
77
Applications
145
100%
1st preference success rate
13 of 13 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
Without an Ofsted report currently available, parents should look for concrete pastoral structures. One clear sign is role clarity. The school publicly lists a named SENDCo, which indicates accountability for special educational needs coordination as the school grows.
In a developing all through school, pastoral systems need to scale. Ask how the school handles transitions between phases internally, how it identifies emerging needs in early years and primary, and how it ensures support does not depend on a small founding team as staff numbers expand. Also ask how behaviour expectations are taught, not just enforced, because that determines whether consistency is sustainable as cohorts get bigger.
New schools often have to prioritise core routines first, then broaden enrichment as staffing and facilities expand. The most helpful evidence for parents is specificity: named clubs, named programmes, and clear timetables.
At this stage, you should expect the co curricular offer to strengthen over time. When evaluating it now, look for two things:
A small number of well run, reliable options rather than a long list that changes constantly. Stability matters for pupils, especially in early years and primary.
Clear progression routes such as how sport, music, or STEM moves from “try it” activities into sustained participation as pupils move up year groups.
If you are visiting, ask for examples of what runs every week, what is seasonal, and what is likely to be added as new year groups open.
The school publishes opening times for the site, which indicates the span of the operational day. For families, the practical questions are then wraparound care and transport.
Because Matford Brook includes nursery provision in its age range, ask for clarity on early years session patterns, breakfast and after school arrangements, and how those change as children move into Reception and beyond. For nursery fee details, the right approach is to check the school’s published information directly; eligible families may also be able to access government funded hours.
On transport, look for clear guidance on walking routes, safe drop off patterns, and how the school manages traffic at peak times as roll grows. In a new development area, these practicalities can change quickly as surrounding housing completes.
Limited external accountability narrative, so far. There is currently no Ofsted report published for the school’s URN. That does not indicate weakness, but it does mean parents have less independent evidence than they would for established schools.
A growing roll changes the experience year by year. Early cohorts often benefit from attention and visibility. Later, the feel becomes more like a full size secondary, with larger peer groups and more complex routines. Families should think about whether they are comfortable with that evolution across their child’s journey.
Oversubscription is already present. Application pressure is recorded for both Reception and Year 7 routes provided. For families assuming a new school is easier to access, the numbers suggest you should still plan carefully and submit on time.
All through continuity is a benefit, but it reduces “reset points”. Some pupils thrive with stability. Others benefit from the natural social reset of moving to a new school at 11. Consider your child’s temperament and how they handle change.
Matford Brook Academy is best understood as a school in build mode: ambitious in scope, shaped by an all through model, and already drawing significant demand. The lack of a published Ofsted report means parents should focus on leadership clarity, the trust framework, and the practical evidence of how teaching, routines, and pastoral care are being established.
Who it suits: families in Exeter who want continuity from early years through to GCSE, and who are comfortable joining a school community that will keep evolving as year groups expand.
It is a new and growing all through school, so traditional measures like published external inspection reports and long run exam trends are not yet available in the usual way. A practical way to judge quality is to review the school’s curriculum plans, routines, and pastoral structures, and to ask how the trust supports consistency as cohorts expand. The school identifies Ms Emily Simpson-Horne as Headteacher, which provides leadership continuity as it grows.
The admissions indicates oversubscription for both Reception and Year 7 entry routes, meaning there were more applications than offers in the recorded period. Families should apply on time and understand the published oversubscription criteria used for allocation.
Applications follow the local authority coordinated process, with deadlines set each year. For the 2026 entry cycle, the school’s published admissions policy gives specific date windows for both Reception and Year 7 applications, alongside decision dates.
Yes, the school’s age range includes early years. For session patterns and current nursery pricing, check the school’s published early years information directly. Eligible families may be able to use government funded hours, depending on circumstances.
The school describes itself as an all through setting and links Reception admission to an expectation of transfer into the secondary phase at Year 7. This is intended to create continuity for pupils and families, and it reduces the need for a separate secondary application for those staying on roll.
Get in touch with the school directly
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