Sandford School
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Sandford School is a council school in Crediton for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 74 pupils and room for 210. About 16 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 59 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Sandford, Crediton, EX17 4NE01363 772256exevalleyfederation.co.ukMrs Hannah Fee headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 10 October 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 13 July 2022 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
21 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 21 | 9 | 21 | 18 | 27 | 27 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 62% | 22% | 62% | 50% | 81% | 67% | 60% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 10% | 0% | 5% | 17% | 19% | 11% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 107.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 110.0 | 105.0 | 105.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 100.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 107.0 | 101.0 | 104.0 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 100.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 108.0 | 104.0 | 104.1 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 81% | 67% | 71% | 67% | 93% | 74% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 76% | 33% | 76% | 78% | 93% | 67% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 76% | 78% | 76% | 67% | 85% | 70% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.3 | +1.7 | +2.4 | -2.6 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.4 | -0.3 | +0.2 | -5.4 | – | – |
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.
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
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.
96 places were empty (55% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 40% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
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 30 places).
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Other difficulty or disability (5), emotional and mental health (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), language and communications needs (2), Vision impairment (2), Hearing impairment (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 74 | 78 | 84 | 106 | 136 | 141 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 16% | 14% | 17% | 9% | 13% | 12% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 3% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 15% | 18% | 13% | 4% | 6% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 8% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 8% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 3.8% | 5.9% | 5.2% | 7.0% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.9% | 4.7% | 4.4% | 6.4% | 2.1% | 2.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.9% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.5% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 7.9% | 14.1% | 12.5% | 17.9% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 7.1 | 9.4 | 5.9 | 2.8 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025.
The area around the school
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscore Primary School | Council | 1.5 miles | 276 | Good 2022 | 63 | Compare |
| Hayward's Primary School | Council | 1.6 miles | 403 | Report card 2026 | 51 | Compare |
| Copplestone Primary School | Foundation | 3.6 miles | 138 | Good 2022 | 28 | Compare |
| Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School | Council | 3.6 miles | 91 | Good 2022 | 57 | Compare |
| Yeoford Community Primary School | Academy | 3.9 miles | 56 | Good 2022 | 82 | Compare |
| Newton St Cyres Primary School | Council | 4.2 miles | 133 | Good 2023 | 53 | Compare |
| Morchard Bishop Church of England Primary School | Academy | 4.7 miles | 101 | Good 2023 | 78 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Sandford School with the 47 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 47 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 59 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 59% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 29 to 82. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.02 | 2025 and 2023 results; 21 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.02 | DfE progress measure; 21 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | -0.02 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.08 | 2024/25; 76 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | +0.03 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 21 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 Sandford School a good school?
It is about average. Sandford School scores 59 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 72% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 29 to 82, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Sandford School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Sandford School good at its last full inspection on 10 October 2023.
How good are Sandford School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 62% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Sandford School have?
74 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 35% full.
Is Sandford School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 96 places were empty in 2024/25 (55% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Sandford School?
Pupils were in school 96.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 8% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Sandford School?
The average class had 24.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 33% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Sandford School have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Sandford, Crediton, EX17 4NE
- Telephone
- 01363 772256
- Website
- www.exevalleyfederation.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Hannah Fee
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Local authority
- Devon
- Ward
- Sandford & Creedy
- Constituency
- Central Devon
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 113107 · LAESTAB 8782059 · UKPRN 10076112
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Admissions outcomes: Devon council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.