Tedburn St Mary School Review 2026: Small village primary with standout Key Stage 2 outcomes

A small primary with big outcomes, Tedburn St Mary School sits in the top 10% of primaries in England on FindMySchool’s primary rankings (based on official data), while remaining very much a village school in feel and scale. Ranked 426th in England and 1st in Exeter for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it combines exceptionally high Key Stage 2 attainment with the kind of whole school familiarity that is only possible when pupil numbers are under 100.

Leadership is framed locally around the Academy Head, Mrs Louise Warren, and the school is part of the Link Academy Trust.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs. (The school day includes a breakfast club offer that starts at 8.00am, delivered via Sara’s School in the Village Hall.)

Scale defines the day to day experience here. With a capacity of 91 and around 90 pupils on roll, adults can know pupils well, and older pupils are visible role models because everyone shares the same spaces.

The values language is explicit and used as a practical organising tool rather than just display text. The school sets out Respect, Community, Curiosity, Ambition, and Pride as core values, and these ideas reappear in behaviour expectations and pupil leadership roles.

Behaviour is treated as a shared agreement rather than only a rule set. The school describes developing a relational approach, with class agreements and a pupil-created playground agreement to clarify what good conduct looks like in lessons and at playtime. The implication for families is straightforward: for many children, consistency and predictability in expectations reduces low-level conflict and supports calmer learning habits.

Pupil leadership is a genuine strand rather than a token badge. In the most recent inspection evidence, school councillors were described as leading assemblies and helping peers understand British values, which aligns with the school’s emphasis on responsibility and public speaking.

The headline performance measure at Key Stage 2 is unusually strong.

In 2024, 97.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 43.67% achieved this combined threshold, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores reinforce the same story. Reading was 111, mathematics 110, and grammar, punctuation and spelling 109.

The results translate into an excellent position on FindMySchool’s primary rankings (based on official data). Ranked 426th in England and 1st in Exeter, performance is well above England average (top 10%).

The practical implication is that pupils who thrive here are likely to be stretched appropriately and to leave Year 6 with secure fundamentals, particularly in early reading and mathematics. For families moving into the area, the school’s scale means cohort to cohort variation can be more noticeable than in larger primaries, but the available evidence points to high expectations and strong delivery.

Reading is treated as an early priority with structured practice. The school sets out a systematic synthetic phonics approach using Phonics Bug, introducing common phoneme and grapheme correspondences first, teaching tricky words alongside decoding, and linking reading books closely to the phonics sequence. That design choice matters because it reduces the mismatch between what is taught and what pupils are asked to read at home, which typically accelerates fluency for early readers.

Oracy is another distinctive strand. The school describes a whole-school focus on developing spoken communication and listening habits, including explicit expectations for turn-taking, eye contact, clear speech, and responsive listening. It also runs a “BIG Word” competition linked to The Dictionary of Difficult Words, which pushes vocabulary development beyond everyday classroom language and gives children a reason to use ambitious words in context.

Curriculum intent is described as broad and experiential, using a rolling plan built on the National Curriculum, the Early Years Foundation Stage, and local Devon and Torbay religious education guidance, supported by its wider enrichment offer.

From an inspection evidence perspective, mathematics was described as well established, with progression from Reception to Year 6 and pupils able to explain how new learning links to what they already know. That provides a useful indication of curriculum sequencing and retention, especially in a small school where mixed-age teaching can be a factor in planning.

As a primary school, the main transition is into Year 7. The school states that it has good links with its local secondary, Queen Elizabeth’s School in Crediton (QE Crediton), and that it liaises closely with the secondary SENDCo to support smooth transition, including for pupils heading to secondary settings outside the immediate local area.

For families, this matters in two ways. First, the transition relationship suggests that information sharing and planning is likely to be structured rather than last-minute. Second, it is a helpful signal for pupils who may need additional support at transfer, as transition planning for SEND often benefits from early coordination between schools.

Admissions are coordinated through Devon County Council, and the school participates in normal round and in-year coordinated schemes.

For Reception entry for September 2026, Devon’s timetable states that applications open on 15 November 2025 and close on 15 January 2026, with the allocation day on 16 April 2026.

The school publishes an appeals timetable for the same cycle, including a deadline of 31 May 2026 for submitting appeal forms and a target for appeals to be heard by 24 July 2026 (within 40 school days for the normal round).

Demand data indicates modest absolute numbers, consistent with a small rural primary, but still some competition for places. The most recent published figures show 8 applications for 7 offers, which is a ratio of 1.14 applications per place and an oversubscribed status.

A practical step for parents is to treat open visits as part of the decision process. The school explicitly welcomes prospective families to arrange a visit, and in small schools the “fit” can matter as much as headline outcomes, because cohort dynamics are more visible.

Wellbeing support in a small school often relies on relationships and routines more than on large specialist teams, and the evidence here points to a strong baseline.

The latest Ofsted inspection (April 2024) judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for Behaviour and Attitudes.

The same report confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The inspection evidence also describes pupils feeling a sense of belonging, pupils listening to one another, and pupils understanding online safety and risky behaviour. Those details matter because they translate into a day to day culture where pupils can focus in class and feel secure in social spaces, particularly important in mixed-age rural primaries where pupils often share play areas.

Enrichment is structured through a clear “core offer” rather than being left to chance. The school sets out a Five Star Pledge that includes public performance (song, dance, drama), half-termly World Explorer days across all continents, outdoor learning, cross-age collaboration, and representing the school in sport through trust and partnership fixtures. The implication is breadth, not just in activities, but in the kinds of skills pupils practise, including teamwork, confidence in front of an audience, and curiosity about the wider world.

The school also makes enrichment practical. The website highlights a playing field, large playground and garden, and it references residential activities for pupils in Years 4 to 6, which often serve as a key confidence-building milestone in small primaries.

Clubs are specific and named, which is helpful for parents assessing day to day variety. The current list includes Guitar Club, indoor games, running club, choir, and West Exe Football (weather permitting).

Oracy work reinforces the extracurricular picture. The BIG Word competition is an example of enrichment that sits alongside the curriculum and builds vocabulary and presentation habits without needing expensive external provision.

The published school day runs to 3.30pm, with key routines including lining up at 8.50am and registration closing at 9.00am. The school also sets out time allocations across the week, including 25 hours and 25 minutes of teaching time for Key Stage 2 and 23 hours and 50 minutes for Key Stage 1, excluding registration, assemblies and breaks.

Breakfast club is available from 8.00am via Sara’s School in the Village Hall. Families seeking after-school wraparound should check the school’s current arrangements, as wraparound offers can change year to year in small schools depending on staffing and demand.

On transport, the school sits in a village setting outside Exeter, so most families will plan around car travel and local bus options rather than rail. For rural schools, it is also worth checking safe walking routes and drop-off practicality during winter months, as travel time can shape the whole family routine.

• Small cohorts. With fewer than 100 pupils, peer groups are naturally smaller. This can suit children who like familiar faces and steady routines, but it can feel limiting for those seeking a larger social mix.

• Curriculum development across subjects. The most recent inspection noted that while some areas such as mathematics are well established, in a small number of subjects the curriculum does not always connect ideas as effectively, which can limit how deeply pupils build knowledge over time.

• Wraparound provision specifics. Breakfast club timing is clear, but families who need guaranteed after-school care should confirm the current offer directly, as provision can be more variable in small settings.

• Competition still exists. Even with small numbers, demand data shows the school has been oversubscribed, so families should apply on time and keep an eye on Devon’s published admissions timetable.

Tedburn St Mary School combines a small-school experience with Key Stage 2 outcomes that sit well above England averages, and a culture that emphasises responsibility, communication, and consistent behaviour expectations. It is best suited to families who want a village primary with very strong academic indicators, structured enrichment such as World Explorer days and performance opportunities, and a calm, relationship-led ethos. The limiting factor is usually admission rather than what happens once a place is secured.