West Buckland School
West Buckland, Barnstaple, EX32 0SX
- Phase
- Independent schools
- School type
- Other independent school
- Ages
- 3 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Christian
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Lowe
- Religious ethos
- Church of England
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- North Devon
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 933
- Pupils on roll
- 499
- URN
- 113606
- Local authority
- Devon
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01598760000
About this school
West Buckland School is a Christian independent school in Barnstaple. It teaches children aged 3 to 18 and has 499 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has not yet inspected West Buckland School under its current framework. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
West Buckland School has not been inspected by Ofsted yet. It opened in its current form in September 1980, and new or converted schools usually wait a few years for their first inspection.
Exam results
Key stage 4 (GCSEs)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 4 | 82 | 87 | 81 |
| Attainment 8 score | 53.2 | 52.3 | 54.1 |
| Progress 8 score | - | - | - |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 51% | 58.6% | 69.1% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 68% | 78.2% | 77.8% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate | 4% | 4.6% | 8.6% |
| English Baccalaureate average point score | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
Progress 8 is paused nationally for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 school years. Those pupils sat no key stage 2 tests during the Covid pandemic, so there is no starting point to measure progress from. A blank figure here is not missing school data.
Trends over time
How West Buckland School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | Devon average | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 53.2 | 36.5 | 39.8 |
| 2023/24 | 52.3 | 36.1 | 39.5 |
| 2024/25 | 54.1 | 33.6 | 39 |
Department for Education KS4 performance data, published school results.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 657 |
| 2023/24 | 627 |
| 2024/25 | 603 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 0%
- Pupils with an EHC plan
- 2
- Pupils on SEN support
- 93
Location
Nearby schools
-
Blackford Education (Schools) Ltd t/a the Libra School5.0 miles
Special schools · South Molton
-
On Track Education Barnstaple5.2 miles
Special schools · Barnstaple
-
The Lampard Community School5.9 miles
Academies · Barnstaple
-
Pathfield School7.2 miles
Special schools · Barnstaple
-
The Shoreline Academy8.2 miles
Academies · Barnstaple
Other schools in Barnstaple
- Ashleigh CofE Primary School Primary
- Bishops Tawton Primary School Primary
- Bratton Fleming Community Primary School Primary
- Brayford Academy Primary
- Eden Park Academy Primary
- Filleigh Community Primary School Primary
- Fremington Primary School Primary
- Goodleigh Church of England Primary School Primary
- Holywell Church of England School Primary
- Horwood and Newton Tracey Community Primary School Primary
- Kentisbury Primary School Primary
- Landkey Community Primary Academy Primary
Common questions
- What ages does West Buckland School teach?
- West Buckland School teaches children aged 3 to 18. It is an independent school in Barnstaple.
- Who is the headteacher of West Buckland School?
- The headteacher of West Buckland School is Mrs Helen Lowe, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has West Buckland School been inspected?
- Ofsted has not inspected West Buckland School under its current framework, so no current judgement is shown. That is common for newer schools and is not a mark against a school.
- How many pupils are at West Buckland School?
- West Buckland School has 499 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 3 to 18.
- Is West Buckland School full?
- West Buckland School has capacity for 933 pupils and 499 on roll (53%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is West Buckland School a faith school?
- Yes. West Buckland School is designated Christian.
- How have West Buckland School's results changed over recent years?
- Its Attainment 8 score was 53.2 in 2022/23 and 54.1 in 2024/25. The year-by-year figures, alongside local and national averages, are charted in the trends section on this page.
- What are West Buckland School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, West Buckland School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 24 July 2026.