‘LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE’: High Bickington Academy celebrates glowing OFSTED report where “children fall in love with learning”

Staff, pupils, and parents at High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy are celebrating following a highly successful Ofsted inspection that praised the school’s vibrant community, high academic achievements, and the "exemplary" behaviour of its pupils.

Following the inspection on 17th March 2026, inspectors confirmed that the academy successfully meets all safeguarding standards and achieves a "Strong Standard" across key areas, including Attendance and Behaviour, Early Years, Inclusion, and Personal Development and Wellbeing.

The report beautifully captures how the school’s vision, ‘Let your light shine’, is lived out daily. Inspectors noted that the school is safely at the heart of its community, describing it as a nurturing environment where "children fall in love with learning."

Key Highlights from the Report:

● Exemplary Behaviour & Attendance: Pupils show an "intrinsic motivation to behave well," creating a calm, focused, and welcoming atmosphere. Older pupils act as mature role models, and attendance rates remain high because children genuinely enjoy coming to school.

● A ‘Flying Start’ in Early Years: Skilled staff ensure that nursery and reception children benefit from an ambitious, well-planned curriculum. Reading is heavily prioritised through rigorous phonics teaching from the very start.

● High Academic Achievement: Most pupils achieve outcomes in national tests that exceed the national average, including disadvantaged pupils. Inspectors noted that by the end of Year 6, pupils are highly prepared for the next stage of their education.

● Deep-Rooted Inclusion: The school was highly praised for embedding equal opportunities into everything it does. Pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils are exceptionally well supported through precise, research-based strategies.

● Rich Personal Development: From playing the trombone and performing at a local theatre proms event to rock climbing, finance management, and trips to London and Bristol, pupils benefit from a deeply enriching curriculum that builds strong ethical awareness and confidence.

Leadership Reflections

Rob Norton, Head of school at High Bickington Academy, expressed his immense pride in the community:

"This wonderful report is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our entire school community. Hearing our pupils describe our school by saying ‘everyone treats each other kindly’ is the ultimate praise. We are delighted that Ofsted recognises that our children are not only achieving above national averages academically, but are also developing into well-rounded, resilient, and polite young people."

Dan Polak, Acting CEO of TEAM Multi-Academy Trust, added:

"We are incredibly proud of High Bickington Academy. The report highlights how effectively our close knit team works together. By sharing best practices across the Trust, we have reduced staff workload while keeping the laser focus on high-quality, ambitious teaching. The future is incredibly bright for High Bickington."

The inspection also noted that the school’s leadership team and governors "know their school well" and have already prioritised next-step actions to further refine classroom assessment tools, ensuring teaching remains consistently adapted to push every single child to their highest potential.

With an "open-door culture" highly valued by parents and a dedicated staff team who are "proud to work at the school," High Bickington Church of England Primary Academy continues to shine as a beacon of educational excellence in Devon.