Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy
Abbey Road, Barnstaple, EX31 1JUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy is a primary school in Barnstaple for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 416 schools in Devon. It ranks 5th of 20 primary schools in Barnstaple. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 November 2023, report published 10 December 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 November 2023
Pupils are happy, safe and rightly proud of Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy. The school has high expectations for all pupils to succeed. Pupils learn in a nurturing environment where staff help them thrive. Everyone is welcome here. One pupil said, 'This is a place where we are kind and caring to everyone.' Parents are overwhelmingly supportive and value the many opportunities offered to pupils. The wider development of pupils is a strength of the school. They benefit from a range of opportunities that embed the school motto of, 'life, love and learning to the full.' This helps pupils to be responsible, respectful and active citizens. Pupils gain from a variety of pupil leadership roles. For example, 'ethos ambassadors' promote the school values and praise pupils who follow these well. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They have a lived experience of democracy. They know their voice matters. The residential trip to the Houses of Parliament enhances their understanding even further. Pupils value the pastoral support in place to help them. The school yurt is described by pupils as a safe space to share any worries they may have. Pupils are confident their concerns will be resolved quickly.
What the school should improve
- Assessment is not effective, in some subjects, in identifying what pupils know and remember. As a result, some pupils have unknown gaps in their knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is effective in identifying what pupils know and remember to help pupils build their knowledge securely.
- Some pupils with SEND do not receive all the support they need, including when learning to read. This is because some learning targets lack precision or do not focus on the most significant areas of academic need. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well enough. The trust must ensure that pupils receive all the support they need to learn the curriculum well.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
65 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
261 pupils on roll, with places for 264
Schools near Pilton Bluecoat Church of England Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilton Infants' Academy | 0.1 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Not published |
| Yeo Valley Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 43% met the expected standard |
| Ashleigh CofE Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 79% met the expected standard |
| Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple | 0.8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 50% met the expected standard |
| Sticklepath Community Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- TEAM MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 7 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Daniel Polak
- Phone
- 01271345952
- Address
- Abbey Road, Barnstaple, EX31 1JU
- Local authority
- Devon
- URN
- 138315
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.