Lady Modiford's Church of England Primary School Review 2026: A tiny village primary with a strong “family feel”

There are no current Key Stage 2 performance figures available for this school, so it is not possible to give parents the usual benchmarks such as the percentage reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, or scaled scores.

What can be said, based on official evaluation, is that the most recent Ofsted visit (05 February 2025) judged the school to have taken effective action to maintain standards, and it describes a school where pupils’ writing and mathematical understanding develop well over time.

For parents, the practical implication is to treat this as a “visit-and-question” school. Without recent published attainment metrics your best indicators become the curriculum conversation (what is taught when, and how gaps are spotted), pupils’ books, and how the school manages mixed-age teaching.

Micro primaries almost always rely on mixed-age classes. In Lady Modiford’s case, the 2025 inspection report notes the school currently has pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. That implies a small number of mixed-age groupings, and it shifts the teaching craft from “delivering a year-group script” to careful sequencing, clear routines, and tight assessment.

The most useful way to assess the teaching model here is to look for three things. First, how the school ensures coverage of the national curriculum when pupils are at different year points. Second, how it creates stretch for higher prior attainers in a tiny cohort without turning everything into independent worksheet time. Third, how it supports pupils who need consolidation without them feeling singled out (which can happen when there are only a handful of children in the room).

Ofsted’s language about calm routines and orderly classrooms is a positive sign, because mixed-age teaching only works well when expectations and transitions are secure.

Because this is a Devon village primary, transition will usually be shaped by local secondary catchment patterns and transport practicality. The school’s very small cohort size means secondary transition may look different year to year; some pupils may move on with one or two close peers, while others may be joining a year group without existing friends from primary. In settings like this, good transition work is less about “moving the whole cohort together” and more about careful preparation, early visits, and building confidence.

The 2016 Ofsted inspection report (for the predecessor voluntary aided school) describes a buddy system designed to build cross-age friendships and help pupils as they move up classes and then on to secondary. While that document is historical, it usefully illustrates the kind of small-school pastoral mechanics that typically support transition.

This is a state-funded primary school with no tuition fees.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Devon, the local authority application window opened 15 November 2025 and closed 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026. Devon’s process is coordinated, meaning families apply through the local authority rather than treating the school application as a standalone process.

A useful practical step for families considering Lady Modiford’s is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to sense-check travel time and day-to-day logistics, especially in rural areas where the route can matter more than straight-line distance.

The standout wellbeing advantage of a very small primary is visibility. It is hard for a child to become anonymous when there are only a handful of pupils in the building, and the 2025 inspection report reinforces the idea that pupils feel safe and listened to.

From a parent’s perspective, the key pastoral questions to ask are also slightly different from those at a two-form-entry primary. How does the school help children manage friendship fallouts when the friendship pool is small. How does it ensure pupils have leadership opportunities and age-appropriate responsibility when year groups are tiny. How does it handle safeguarding training and oversight when staffing teams are small and people wear multiple hats. The inspection report’s emphasis on clear routines and pupil confidence in adults is reassuring on that last point.

Without access to the school’s own website content in this environment, the most reliable “named” enrichment details come from official inspection material.

The 2016 Ofsted inspection report describes pupils learning about safety in the natural environment using the Forest School area, and notes that Year 6 pupils attended a life-skills course and took part in an annual local residential adventure trip. It also records that pupils of all ages were taught to swim in the school’s outdoor pool.

Those details matter because they indicate a school that is trying to provide breadth despite size. Forest School and outdoor learning can be a genuine leveller in small settings; children who may not shine first in writing or maths often flourish when learning is practical and collaborative. A structured life-skills course and residential also speak to preparation for secondary transition, particularly confidence, independence, and managed risk-taking.

A school-run breakfast club is specifically referenced in the 2025 inspection report. The exact hours and whether there is after-school wraparound care are not confirmed in accessible official sources here, so families should verify provision directly.

Given the rural Dartmoor fringe location, transport and journey planning can be as important as the education model. Families should test the school run at realistic times, not just rely on mapping estimates, and consider winter conditions and daylight when thinking about longer-term sustainability.

• Micro-school realities. With 8 pupils on roll at the time of Ofsted’s published data, friendship groups and peer variety can be limited. This can suit children who thrive in a close-knit setting, but it can feel constraining for those who need a wider social mix.

• Mixed-age teaching is the norm. The school currently has pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6, so mixed-age planning and differentiated teaching are central rather than occasional. Ask how the school sequences the curriculum and tracks gaps over time.

• Data-light decisions. the does not include current KS2 performance metrics for this school. That places more weight on what you learn through visits, conversations, book looks, and how leaders describe curriculum intent and assessment.

• Faith character. This is a Church of England school, and SIAMS inspection took place in May 2023. Families should be comfortable with worship and a Christian values framework, even though church schools often include a spectrum of observance.

Lady Modiford’s is best understood as a deliberately small, community-rooted primary with a calm, caring culture and an evident drive for pupils to achieve well. Official evaluation indicates standards have been maintained, and the school’s identity is strengthened by its trust and federation context.

Who it suits: families seeking a village primary with a strong sense of belonging, and children who benefit from being well known by staff and learning in mixed-age groups.

The main challenge is fit rather than competition. A micro-school model can be brilliant for the right child and frustrating for the wrong one, so the decision should be anchored in a careful visit and a candid discussion about cohort mix and curriculum delivery.