Best primary schools in Exeter (2026)
Exeter has 21 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Newtown Primary School, in the top 9% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 59%, against 62% for England. 1 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
| Rank | School | Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average) | Reading, writing & maths 2025 | Trend | Higher standard | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 9% in England |
Newtown Primary School Exeter |
81% | 81% | 13% | Requires improvement | |
2 Top 14% in England |
St Gabriel's CofE Primary School Exeter · Church of England |
77% | 75% | 13% | No rating | |
3 Top 15% in England |
St Leonard's (CofE) Primary School Exeter · Church of England |
72% | 71% | 17% | Not judged | |
4 Top 17% in England |
St Sidwell's Church of England Primary School & Nursery Exeter · Church of England |
72% | 79% | 25% | Report card | |
5 Top 19% in England |
Trinity CofE Primary and Nursery School Exeter · Church of England |
75% | 75% | 10% | Requires improvement | |
6 Top 30% in England |
Woodwater Academy Exeter |
69% | 65% | 11% | Good | |
7 Top 31% in England |
Exwick Heights Primary School Exeter |
69% | 66% | 10% | Good | |
8 Top 46% in England |
Alphington Primary School Exeter |
65% | 66% | 3% | No rating | |
9 Top 48% in England |
St David's CofE Primary School Exeter · Church of England |
61% | 60% | 20% | Not judged | |
10 Top 48% in England |
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy Exeter · Church of England |
62% | 67% | 12% | Not judged | |
11 Bottom 45% in England |
Stoke Hill Junior School Exeter |
59% | 69% | 11% | No rating | |
12 Bottom 45% in England |
Whipton Barton Junior School Exeter |
58% | 73% | 15% | Good | |
13 Bottom 40% in England |
Clyst Heath Nursery and Community Primary School Exeter |
56% | 56% | 12% | No rating | |
14 Bottom 34% in England |
St Thomas Primary School Exeter |
57% | 43% | 0% | Good | |
15 Bottom 33% in England |
Montgomery Primary School Exeter |
56% | 56% | 2% | Not judged | |
16 Bottom 27% in England |
Bowhill Primary School Exeter |
55% | 55% | 1% | No rating | |
17 Bottom 18% in England |
Wynstream Primary School Academy Exeter |
50% | 57% | 2% | Report card | |
18 Bottom 11% in England |
St Nicholas Catholic Primary School Exeter · Roman Catholic |
45% | 32% | 0% | Not judged | |
19 Bottom 8% in England |
Willowbrook School Exeter |
44% | 44% | 0% | Requires improvement | |
20 Bottom 3% in England |
Countess Wear Primary School Exeter |
31% | 31% | 7% | Requires improvement | |
21 Bottom 1% in England |
Pinhoe Church of England Primary School & Nursery Exeter · Church of England |
24% | 22% | 0% | Good |
Other towns in Devon
- Barnstaple
- Bideford
- Braunton
- Brixham
- Exmouth
- Ivybridge
- Kingsteignton
- Newton Abbot
- Paignton
- Plymouth
- Tavistock
- Teignmouth
- Tiverton (Mid Devon)
- Torquay
Also see
Questions
What is the best primary school in Exeter?
On exam results over the last three years, Newtown Primary School is the top-ranked primary school in Exeter, in the top 9% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.