School Chooser

Beer Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England94 pupilsSeatonDevon
School Chooser Score
66
Above
similar schools
Likely range 34 to 87, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 59% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2023
Reached the expected level at 1157%England 63%
Attendance95.7%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families11%Far fewer than most schools
Places18 spare94 pupils, 112 places
Pupils per teacher16.8School workforce census

Beer Church of England Primary School is a converter academy in Seaton for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 94 pupils and room for 112. About 11 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 66 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 59% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Mare Lane, Beer, Seaton, EX12 3NB0129720077beer-ce-primary.devon.sch.ukMiss Rebecca Porter headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 21 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

7 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1157%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level14%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score108.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 67%67%20172018: 80%80%20182019: 73%73%20192023: 63%63%20232024: 75%75%20242025: 57%57%2025
Since 2017: -10%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†DevonEngland
Pupils tested71619151518
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths57%75%63%73%80%67%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths14%13%0%7%13%22%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score108.0108.0106.0106.0107.0108.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0106.0102.0103.0105.0106.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score107.0109.0104.0106.0109.0108.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard86%88%95%93%80%89%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard71%88%74%80%87%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)57%88%79%80%80%78%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.9-0.2-0.1+0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4-3.6-1.1-1.3

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Beer Church of England Primary School, the school this one replaced in October 2016. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Plenty of spare places84 pupils for 120 places, 2024/25
70% full

36 places were empty (30% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 13% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (12 offers for 15 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary1512all offeredLA
2025 Primary167all offeredLA
2024 Primary16all offeredLA
2023 Primary16all offeredLA
2022 Primary16all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll94Census January 2026
Places11284% full
Pupils from low-income families11%11% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%16 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%1 pupil with a plan
Average class size23.54 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)9%£12,400 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls52 / 42
White British pupils99%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 19.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (6), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3), Specific learning difficulty (3), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll9484869896103
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals11%11%9%12%12%8%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%1%4%3%1%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support17%12%14%21%18%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%1%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.7%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school6.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.3%4.9%5.0%6.5%2.4%5.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.0%3.8%3.8%5.4%2.0%3.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.4%1.1%1.2%1.1%0.3%1.3%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence6.5%12.4%9.2%15.3%3.3%12.4%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers5.6full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher16.8Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants2.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,867
Teachers who left in the year19%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,143England £7,128. Total £516k
Income per pupil£8,321England £7,587. Total £699k
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,917England £3,405
Money in reserve3%Not much put by: £23k, £275 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£183kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,143spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m3112 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate33 per 1,000 people64% lower than the England average
Typical house price£334,495East Devon
Nearest bus stop60 mPecorama, 7 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Seaton Primary SchoolCouncil1.6 miles377Good 202476Compare
Branscombe Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy1.8 miles6Good 20237Compare
Colyton Primary AcademyAcademy3.1 miles150No overall grade 202442Compare
Musbury Primary SchoolAcademy4.6 miles53Not inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Beer Church of England Primary School with the 46 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats59%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 66 is 4 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 11 · middle 62 · highest 99100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 46 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Beer Church of England Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Awliscombe Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England9.5 miles90Good 202371Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 66 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 66% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 34 to 87. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
+0.06
2024 and 2023 results; 16 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
DfE progress measure; 16 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.04
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.08
2024/25; 77 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.05
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 16 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Beer Church of England Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Beer Church of England Primary School scores 66 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 59% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 34 to 87, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Beer Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Beer Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 21 November 2023.

How good are Beer Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 57% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 14% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Beer Church of England Primary School have?

94 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 112 places, so it is 84% full.

Is Beer Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 36 places were empty in 2024/25 (30% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Beer Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Beer Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 23.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Mare Lane, Beer, Seaton, EX12 3NB
Telephone
0129720077
Website
www.beer-ce-primary.devon.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Rebecca Porter
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Exeter
Multi-academy trust
St Christopher's C of E (Primary) Multi Academy Trust (21 schools)
Local authority
Devon
Ward
Beer & Branscombe
Constituency
Honiton and Sidmouth
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 October 2016 (academy converter)
URN
143190 · LAESTAB 8783303 · UKPRN 10057839
Formerly
Beer Church of England Primary School

Where these figures come from