Bickleigh on Exe Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 June 2026

Pupils at Bickleigh on Exe are rightly proud of their inclusive and nurturing school. They keenly detail the wealth of positives that the school offers them. Pupils enthuse about their academic learning as well as the range of opportunities they experience beyond the classroom. These include trips to enhance the curriculum, extra-curricular clubs and residential visits to build secure relationships at the beginning of the school year. Pupils want to be in school and do well due to the appropriate and responsive adaptations that staff make to teaching and the learning environment. Any barriers to learning or wellbeing that pupils have are identified early. This leads to high attendance and pupils achieving well over time, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It prepares them well for the academic rigour of secondary school. Pupils describe a safe and trusted view of school and its staff. This is evident to visitors and parents and carers in the caring and highly positive relationships across the whole school community. Pupils feel confident in speaking up, expressing their views and opinions. Pupils do not worry about bullying or poor behaviour. They say that this is rare and dealt with well by staff. Pupils benefit from the calm and purposeful learning environment, underpinned by high expectations of conduct and attitudes to learning. Pupils embody the school’s high standards and golden values in their own actions and interactions because staff model and uphold these consistently. This is fully supported by the school’s Christian religious character. For example, pupils support, encourage and play harmoniously on the playground and the show courtesy and kindness to everyone as they move around the school. These core, moral values give pupils the foundations to thrive beyond their time at primary school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should continue to strengthen and embed the curriculum offer so it is as strong in all areas and subjects as the strongest practice seen and increases the impact on pupil outcomes.
• Leaders should ensure that the quality and precision of pupils’ individual plans fully reflect, support and enhance the inclusive practice that is in place for pupils, inside and beyond the classroom.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils’ knowledge of the wider world is more secure and detailed, so that pupils continue to flourish beyond Bickleigh on Exe.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)