School Chooser

Furzeham Primary School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademy257 pupilsNurseryBrixhamTorbay
School Chooser Score
88
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 78 to 94, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 100% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1163%England 63%
Attendance95.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families25%About the same as most schools in England
Parents would recommend98%41 Parent View responses
Places23 spare257 pupils, 280 places

Furzeham Primary School is a converter academy in Brixham for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 257 pupils and room for 280. About 25 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 88 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Higher Furzeham Road, Brixham, TQ5 8BL01803 853347furzehamprimary.orgMr Paul Adams headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Strong
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
Strong
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

40 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1163%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level5%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score108.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 75%75%20172018: 64%64%20182019: 76%76%20192023: 68%68%20232024: 77%77%20242025: 63%63%2025
Since 2017: -12%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023†2019†2018†2017†TorbayEngland
Pupils tested403541373936
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths63%77%68%76%64%75%62%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths5%9%12%8%18%17%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0107.0105.0106.0104.0106.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score108.0107.0104.0106.0103.0105.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0108.0104.0106.0104.0107.0104.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard70%86%73%81%72%81%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard85%89%78%86%72%78%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)73%83%78%78%82%78%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.0+0.4-0.3+1.1
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.8+0.9-0.2+0.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged46%63%47%64%64%55%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged70%81%81%81%64%84%

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 Furzeham Primary School, the school this one replaced in November 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
46%70%
Gap 24 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
50%73%
Gap 23 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%5%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

A few spare places228 pupils for 260 places, 2024/25
88% full

About 32 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up.

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 (22 offers for 30 places). 21 families put it down as their first choice and 21 of them got in (100%).

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeFirst choices who got inHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary30213122100%all offeredLA

What parents say

Would recommend the school98%England 87%
My child is happy here100%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe98%
Positive overall97%
My child is happy at this school
100%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
98%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
95%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
10% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
50%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
93%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
7% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
100%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
80%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
66%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
93%England 82%
I would recommend this school
98%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
97%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 41 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll257Census January 2026
Places28092% full
Pupils from low-income families23%25% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%29 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size29.88 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils38%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)28%£93,000 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls137 / 120
White British pupils89%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 27.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 35.5 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (11), emotional and mental health (10), language and communications needs (5), Hearing impairment (3), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census2026202520242023
Pupils on roll257248250278
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals23%23%23%28%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%4%4%4%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support11%9%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school11.4%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.5%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/22†2020/21†2018/19†England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.0%7.0%7.5%7.6%3.7%4.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.5%4.9%6.0%6.7%3.1%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.5%2.1%1.5%0.9%0.5%0.6%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence11.4%22.6%23.0%23.5%11.2%9.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.40.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions000

† These attendance figures are for Furzeham Primary School, the school this one replaced in November 2022. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.3full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher26.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers91%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.1full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,380
Teachers who left in the year10%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies1
Sick days per teacher6.52024/25

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£5,454England £7,128. Total £1.3m
Income per pupil£7,008England £7,587. Total £1.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,463England £3,405
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £64k, £267 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£373kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,454spent 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 m37712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate82 per 1,000 people10% lower than the England average
Typical house price£250,000Torbay
Nearest bus stop90 mFurzeham Primary School, 23 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
Brixham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy760 m187Good 202341Compare
Eden Park Primary & Nursery SchoolAcademy0.7 miles342Good 202340Compare
St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles56Good 202310Compare
Galmpton Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy2.2 miles222Outstanding 202497Compare
White Rock Primary SchoolFoundation2.8 miles666Not inspected19Compare
Roselands Primary SchoolAcademy3.3 miles315Good 202032Compare
St Michael's Church of England AcademyFree school3.4 miles101Good 202495Compare
Curledge Street AcademyAcademy3.4 miles439Good 202374Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Furzeham Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats100%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 88 is 47 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 41 · highest 87100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 88 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 88% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 78 to 94. 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
+0.04
2025 and 2024 results; 40 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
-0.02
Ofsted report card, 0.7 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.15
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 40 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.30
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.02
2024/25; 210 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.08
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 40 pupils
What parents say5%above
+0.04
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 41 responses

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 Furzeham Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Furzeham Primary School scores 88 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 78 to 94, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Furzeham Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 January 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as as expected.

How good are Furzeham Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 63% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Furzeham Primary School have?

257 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 280 places, so it is 92% full.

Is Furzeham Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 32 places were empty in 2024/25 (12% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Furzeham Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Furzeham Primary School?

98% of the 41 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 100% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Furzeham Primary School?

The average class had 29.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 38% of classes 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
Higher Furzeham Road, Brixham, TQ5 8BL
Telephone
01803 853347
Website
www.furzehamprimary.org
Headteacher
Mr Paul Adams
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
The Thinking Schools Academy Trust (26 schools)
Local authority
Torbay
Ward
Furzeham with Summercombe
Constituency
South Devon
Setting
Urban: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2022 (academy converter)
URN
149412 · LAESTAB 8802407 · UKPRN 10091388
Formerly
Furzeham Primary School

Where these figures come from