Community school · Torbay

Watcombe Primary School

3–11Ages
221Pupils
PrimaryPhase
113233URN

Moor Lane, Torquay, TQ2 8NU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

close to Torbay median (1.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Torbay

40 applications for 27 places · 17th of 26 in Torbay

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

37%met the expected standard

Torbay 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 2 July 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

2 July 2024
Graded inspection: Good
20 April 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.5applications per place, Reception

close to Torbay median (1.6) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

40 applications · 27 places offered · 25 named it first

2026 1.5; Torbay median median 1.6
2025 1.7; Torbay median median 1.7
2024 1.7; Torbay median median 1.8
2023 1.6; Torbay median median 1.7
2022 1.4; Torbay median median 1.9
2021 1.7; Torbay median median 1.9
2020 2.2; Torbay median median 2.1
2019 2.1; Torbay median median 2.1
2018 2.2; Torbay median median 2.2
2017 1.5; Torbay median median 2.3
2016 2.0; Torbay median median 2.2
2015 1.5; Torbay median median 1.9
2014 1.3; Torbay median median 1.7

This school
Torbay median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	27	40	1.5	25	0.93
Sep 2025	30	50	1.7	31	1.03
Sep 2024	30	52	1.7	32	1.07
Sep 2023	27	44	1.6	27	1.00
Sep 2022	25	36	1.4	25	1.00
Sep 2021	27	47	1.7	26	0.96
Sep 2020	29	65	2.2	39	1.34
Sep 2019	29	61	2.1	36	1.24
Sep 2018	30	66	2.2	40	1.33
Sep 2017	27	41	1.5	25	0.93
Sep 2016	31	63	2.0	36	1.16
Sep 2015	28	43	1.5	26	0.93
Sep 2014	28	37	1.3	28	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 56% · Writing 48% · Maths 48% → all three 37% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard37%28th of 30 in Torbay

Torbay 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard56%

Torbay 77% England 78%

Higher standard7%

Torbay 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 99 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard48%

Torbay 73% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Torbay 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard48%

Torbay 76% England 77%

Higher standard7%

Torbay 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Torbay median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	37%	0%	99	100
2023/24	33%	0%	105	101
2022/23	57%	0%	104	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Watcombe Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.5applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Lift Barton Hill
1.0 km · Torbay

Good2023

1.4applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
St Marychurch Church of England Primary and Nursery School
1.2 km · Torbay

Good2024

1.6applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Priory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay
1.4 km · Torbay

Good2022

2.4applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
St Margaret's Academy
1.5 km · Torbay

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Homelands Primary School
1.7 km · Torbay

2026

1.7applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Upton St James CofE Primary School
2.4 km · Torbay

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Torre Church of England Academy
2.4 km · Torbay

2026

1.6applications per place 84%met the SATs standard
All Saints Babbacombe CofE Primary School
2.6 km · Torbay

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 53%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 113233 · 880/2460
Capacity: 242 pupils · 221 on roll
Free school meals: 34.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Moor Lane, Torquay, TQ2 8NU
Local authority: Torbay

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources