Appledore School
Richmond Road, Appledore, Bideford, EX39 1PFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Appledore School is a primary school in Bideford for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 416 schools in Devon. It ranks 2nd of 12 primary schools in Bideford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 11 July 2023, report published 21 September 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 11 July 2023
Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to Appledore School. They attend regularly and look forward to their learning. This starts in the early years where children are curious about the world around them. Pupils are encouraged to work together and ask questions. They talk positively about their relationships with adults. This is a priority for leaders and ensures that pupils learn well in a positive and nurturing environment. Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils to be successful. They are determined for pupils to learn well through a broad and ambitious curriculum. Leaders set routines for pupils to follow that make the school calm and orderly. Staff know pupils' individual needs and respond to them appropriately. Many pupils value the support available through the learning mentor initiative. Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities available to them. Leaders plan visits to enrich the curriculum. For example, to support the history curriculum, pupils visit a Viking commemorative stone locally and the Roman Baths further afield. Leaders provide many roles of responsibility for pupils to contribute to the school. Pupils value these and know that their voice matters.
What the school should improve
- Leaders have constructed a well-sequenced curriculum. However, in some subjects, they are not evaluating the implementation of this with enough rigour and precision. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is securely and consistently embedded across the school so that pupils develop a deeper understanding over time.
- The needs of some pupils with SEND are not met well enough. Some pupils' learning targets lack precision. As a result, these pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that these pupils and their needs are identified early and learning targets focus on moving pupils' learning forward quickly. This will enable leaders to check that all pupils receive the support they need to learn well.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
28 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
244 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near Appledore School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St George's CofE Infant and Nursery School | 0.9 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Not published |
| St Margaret's Church of England Junior School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 46% met the expected standard |
| Instow Community Primary and Pre-School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| St Mary's CofE Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
| East-the-Water Community Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 69% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Foundation school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Trust
- Atlantic Coast Co-Operative Trust
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Jeremy Cooper
- Phone
- 01237474365
- Address
- Richmond Road, Appledore, Bideford, EX39 1PF
- Local authority
- Devon
- URN
- 113125
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.