School Chooser

Tavistock Primary & Nursery School

Primary · ages 2-11MixedFoundation321 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubTavistockDevon
School Chooser Score
17
Below
similar schools
Likely range 9 to 32
Out of 100. Better than 25% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2019
Reached the expected level at 1154%England 63%
Attendance93.5%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families32%A bit more than most schools
Places99 spare321 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher20.5School workforce census

Tavistock Primary & Nursery School is a foundation school in Tavistock for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 321 pupils and room for 420. About 32 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 17 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 25% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2019.

Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8BX01822 616044tavistock-pri.devon.sch.ukMiss Emma Byrom headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 12 November 2019, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A later, shorter visit on 10 July 2024 said: “School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next”.

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
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
10 July 2024UngradedSchool remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1154%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level4%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
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: 54%54%20172018: 79%79%20182019: 68%68%20192023: 50%50%20232024: 60%60%20242025: 54%54%2025
Since 2017: +0%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DevonEngland
Pupils tested545052565659
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths54%60%50%68%79%54%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths4%14%6%13%9%8%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0107.0105.0107.0108.0102.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0105.0103.0105.0107.0103.0104.0104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0106.0103.0105.0107.0105.0104.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard72%72%69%80%84%61%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard72%74%69%79%84%73%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)59%66%58%77%80%59%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.2+1.8+2.7-0.2
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.6-0.2+2.1+0.7
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged21%42%36%54%57%38%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged65%66%60%80%86%63%

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. 1 of the 3 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
21%65%
Gap 44 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
44%62%
Gap 18 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%4%
Gap 4 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.

Plenty of spare places306 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
73% full

114 places were empty (27% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 14% 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 (21 offers for 60 places).

EntryPlacesGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary6021all offeredLA
2025 Primary6032all offeredLA
2024 Primaryall offeredLA
2023 Primaryall offeredLA
2022 Primaryall 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 roll321Census January 2026
Places42076% full
Pupils from low-income families32%32% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English9%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support31%99 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.412 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)33%£141,050 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls153 / 168
White British pupils84%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 25.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.9 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (32), language and communications needs (25), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (24), Moderate learning difficulty (11), Other difficulty or disability (7), Autistic spectrum disorder (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll321364386387396381
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals32%28%25%25%21%24%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language9%7%5%5%3%2%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support14%19%17%16%19%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans5%4%4%4%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.5%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school16.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils3.92024/25, 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 absence6.5%6.0%6.5%7.0%2.6%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.1%4.6%4.9%6.0%2.1%2.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.4%1.4%1.6%1.1%0.5%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence16.3%14.7%15.3%19.0%6.0%4.7%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate3.96.06.55.63.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00100

Staff and money

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

Teachers14.8full-time equivalent, 18 people
Pupils per teacher20.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants17.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,501
Teachers who left in the year28%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher9.22024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£7,201England £7,738. Total £2.5m
Income per pupil£7,280England £7,697. Total £2.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,148England £3,480
Money in reserve2%Very little put by: £44k, £127 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£27kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,201spent 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 m11312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate56 per 1,000 people38% lower than the England average
Typical house price£294,496West Devon
Nearest bus stop20 mSchool, 14 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
St Rumon's Church of England Infants SchoolAcademy0.6 miles73Good 202262Compare
St Peter's Church of England Junior SchoolAcademy0.7 miles119Good 202231Compare
Whitchurch Community Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles202Good 202350Compare
Gulworthy Primary AcademyAcademy1.9 miles90No overall grade 202573Compare
Lamerton CofE Primary AcademyAcademy2.6 miles47Report card 20262Compare
Copper Valley Junior AcademyAcademy3.1 miles91Good 20227Compare
St Andrew's Church of England AcademyAcademy3.5 miles150Good 202383Compare
Horrabridge Primary & Nursery SchoolFoundation3.6 miles184Good 202355Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Tavistock Primary & Nursery 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.

Beats25%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 17 is 15 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 2 · middle 32 · highest 90100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 17 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 17% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 32. 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
-0.08
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 54 pupils
Ofsted inspection11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)below
-0.09
Ofsted grade, 6.8 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.18
DfE progress measure; 54 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.03
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 301 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.02
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 54 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 Tavistock Primary & Nursery School a good school?

The figures are weak. Tavistock Primary & Nursery School scores 17 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 25% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 32, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Tavistock Primary & Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Tavistock Primary & Nursery School good at its last full inspection on 12 November 2019. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are Tavistock Primary & Nursery School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 54% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Tavistock Primary & Nursery School have?

321 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 76% full.

Is Tavistock Primary & Nursery School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 114 places were empty in 2024/25 (27% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Tavistock Primary & Nursery School?

Pupils were in school 93.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 16% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Tavistock Primary & Nursery School?

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

Does Tavistock Primary & Nursery 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
Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8BX
Telephone
01822 616044
Website
www.tavistock-pri.devon.sch.uk
Headteacher
Miss Emma Byrom
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
Foundation school (Foundation school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Trust
Tavistock Co-Operative Learning Trust
Local authority
Devon
Ward
Tavistock South West
Constituency
Torridge and Tavistock
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
113265 · LAESTAB 8782623 · UKPRN 10069336

Where these figures come from