Academy converter · Devon

St Helens Church of England Academy

2–11Ages
204Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
145769URN

Abbotsham, Bideford, EX39 5AP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodJan 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.6 above Devon median (1.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Devon

63 applications for 30 places · 15th of 163 in Devon

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

57%met the expected standard

Devon 61% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodJan 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Nov 2022

Inspection history

9 November 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
29 January 2013
Graded inspection: Good · as St Helen's Church of England Primary School, URN 113446

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

2.1applications per place, Reception

0.6 above Devon median (1.5) close to England median (2.2)

63 applications · 30 places offered · 30 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.1; Devon median median 1.5
2025 2.2; Devon median median 1.5
2024 2.2; Devon median median 1.6
2023 2.3; Devon median median 1.6
2022 1.9; Devon median median 1.6
2021 2.9; Devon median median 1.6
2020 2.3; Devon median median 1.6
2019 2.5; Devon median median 1.6
2018 2.7; Devon median median 1.6; as the previous school
2017 3.0; Devon median median 1.6; as the previous school
2016 3.0; Devon median median 1.6; as the previous school
2015 3.4; Devon median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 3.3; Devon median median 1.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Devon median in 8 of 8 years.

This school
Devon median

Dashed bars: as St Helen's Church of England Primary School (URN 113446), the previous school.

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	30	63	2.1	30	1.00
Sep 2025	29	63	2.2	32	1.10
Sep 2024	27	59	2.2	26	0.96
Sep 2023	30	70	2.3	37	1.23
Sep 2022	26	48	1.9	26	1.00
Sep 2021	30	86	2.9	45	1.50
Sep 2020	30	69	2.3	34	1.13
Sep 2019	29	71	2.5	32	1.10
Sep 2018 *	29	78	2.7	37	1.28
Sep 2017 *	30	90	3.0	40	1.33
Sep 2016 *	30	91	3.0	40	1.33
Sep 2015 *	24	81	3.4	33	1.38
Sep 2014 *	30	98	3.3	49	1.63

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 77% · Writing 63% · Maths 73% → all three 57% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard57%155th of 266 in Devon

Devon 61% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard77%

Devon 79% England 78%

Higher standard17%

Devon 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard63%

Devon 74% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Devon 9% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Devon 75% England 77%

Higher standard13%

Devon 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Devon median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	57%	0%	104	102
2023/24	87%	13%	109	105
2022/23	66%	3%	106	103

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

St Helens Church of England AcademyThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

2.1applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
West Croft School
2.5 km · Devon

Special measures 2026

1.3applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
St Mary's CofE Primary School
3.1 km · Devon

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
St Margaret's Church of England Junior School
3.7 km · Devon

Requires improvement2020

46%met the SATs standard
St George's CofE Infant and Nursery School
3.8 km · Devon

2025

1.0applications per place
East-the-Water Community Primary School
4.0 km · Devon

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Appledore School
5.3 km · Devon

Good2023

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Buckland Brewer Primary School
5.9 km · Devon

Requires improvement2024

1.1applications per place 33%met the SATs standard
Monkleigh Primary School
6.5 km · Devon

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 80%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 145769 · 878/3450
Trust: Learning Academy Partnership (SOUTH West)
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 204 on roll
Free school meals: 11.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 October 2018
Replaced: St Helen's Church of England Primary School (URN 113446)
Address: Abbotsham, Bideford, EX39 5AP
Local authority: Devon · Torridge

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