Fremington Primary School

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good

Beechfield Road, Fremington, Barnstaple, EX31 3DDOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Fremington Primary School is a primary school in Barnstaple for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 416 schools in Devon. It ranks 20th of 20 primary schools in Barnstaple. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 4 February 2025, report published 16 March 2025

This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.

Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 February 2025

Fremington Primary School is a friendly and welcoming school. A recent change in leadership has led to raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Several positive changes to help pupils prepare for their next stage of education have been introduced. However, the impact of the school's ambitious vision is not yet realised and some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Staff and pupils have warm relationships with each other. Pupils know that if they are worried there is a member of staff they can speak to. Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. Behaviour across the school is improving and most pupils behave well. However, on occasions, pupils are upset when their peers say unkind things. Pupils are encouraged to develop their interests through a wide range of clubs, such as craft club, basketball and cricket club. Pupils also develop their confidence and resilience with visits to outdoor centres to learn to rock climb. Pupils in the school choir are proud to be able to sing for members of the community at the local residential care home. Older pupils take their roles as sports leaders seriously.

What the school should improve

  • The school's new approach to managing poor behaviour is not fully understood by staff and pupils. This means that there are inconsistencies in expectations around behaviour and how pupils' behaviour is managed. The school should ensure that the new behaviour policy is consistently understood and implemented.
  • Support for some pupils with SEND lacks sufficient precision to ensure pupils receive the help they need to learn a broad and balanced curriculum. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not build their knowledge well enough across the curriculum. The trust should improve the quality and effectiveness of support for pupils with SEND and ensure that staff are appropriately skilled to implement it.
  • In some subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' understanding are not specific enough. This hinders staff from readily addressing misconceptions and learning activities are not always adapted well enough to meet the needs of pupils. As a result, pupils develop gaps in their learning and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers' checks on pupils' knowledge are well matched to the knowledge in the curriculum so that misconceptions can be identified and promptly rectified.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

50 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths46%

46%, 16 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score101

101, 5 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score100

100, 5 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score100

100, 5 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

309 pupils on roll, with places for 420

Eligible for free school meals18.1%

18.1%, 8.4 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language1%

1%, 20.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support20.7%

20.7%, 5.9 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3.2%

3.2%, 2.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Fremington Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Roundswell Community Primary Academy1 mileOfsted: GoodNot published
Instow Community Primary and Pre-School2 milesOfsted: Good72% met the expected standard
Sticklepath Community Primary Academy2 milesOfsted: Good60% met the expected standard
Southmead School3 milesOfsted: Good72% met the expected standard
Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy3 milesOfsted: Good63% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
THE HARBOUR SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Caroline Gilbert
Address
Beechfield Road, Fremington, Barnstaple, EX31 3DD
Local authority
Devon
URN
148019

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.