Bowhill Primary School
Exeter, EX4 1JT · Devon · primary school
Check the area around this school
176th of 279 primary schools in Devon we can score, 309 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 4,023 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.6/10 among them, against 2.5/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 55.0 · 27 | 40% | 1.10 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 1.0 · 21 | 25% | 0.53 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Bowhill Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 55.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. 1.0% reached the higher standard, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in June 2025. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 1.6 out of 10 among them, against 2.5 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
The school provides both a breakfast club and an after-school club for wraparound care.
Getting in
The published school roll is 451 pupils against a stated capacity of 525. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils who are below the expected standard in maths? What specific activities take place during the after-school club? How does the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating while addressing the gap between its results and the national median?
What Ofsted said about Bowhill Primary School
Overview
Bowhill Primary School is described as a “happy, welcoming and inclusive place to be” where pupils are “respectful and courteous.” The report confirms that the school has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection,” noting that leaders have an accurate view of strengths and areas for development.
Strengths
- Staff build “positive relationships with pupils” to help them feel “well cared for,” which parents speak highly of.
- The school offers a “well-designed, ambitious curriculum” with high expectations, ensuring pupils “typically learn the curriculum well.”
- Inclusion is a strength, with a “clear process to identify early pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND)” who receive timely support.
- The school is “unwavering in its approach to improving attendance,” tracking data carefully to ensure pupils attend well.
- Pupils are “well prepared for life in modern Britain” through engagement with fundamental British values, democracy, and respect for different cultures.
Areas to improve
- Expectations for written work across the wider curriculum are “not consistently high enough,” leading to variable quality and unaddressed weaknesses in handwriting, spelling, and punctuation.
- Checks on how well pupils are learning are “underdeveloped,” resulting in persistent knowledge gaps that prevent pupils from building a “secure body of knowledge.”
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 67% |
| 2023/24 | 44% |
| 2024/25 | 55% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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