About us

General information and background

Ide Primary School has been at the heart of the village of Ide since the mid-1850s, and has grown over the years, we currently have 156 children attending the school, with 134 children on roll from reception.

The school’s designated catchment area covers about 15 square miles and encompasses the villages of Ide, Dunchideock and Longdown. However, most  children come from central Exeter.

Parents often choose the school because of its size, rural character, distinctive approach to the curriculum and the value that it places on knowing children as individuals.

The school nominally admits 20 children into each year group (Planned Admission Number – PAN), organised into five classes. Class sizes range between 21 and 31.

Every child is equally important and Ide and this applies to the staff team too. There are eight teachers including the Headteacher, a Pre-school leader and a team of extremely dedicated and skilled support staff, including staff at breakfast and after school club.  Our school administrator is the first port of call for enquiries and is much treasured and appreciated by everyone!

The school’s extensive grounds are often a surprise to visitors, being not visible from the front of the school, and these enhance the learning and social experiences of our children.

The school buildings comprise a mixture of the original Victorian construction with recent major additions, an outdoor multi-use games area (MUGA), an outdoor performance area and an outdoor learning area.

Each child’s time at primary school should be happy and fulfilling and we hope that, in later life, our pupils will look back on their days at Ide as being amongst their happiest.

Ide Primary School benefits from being part of the Exeter Learning Academy Trust, a small multi academy trust that was established in January 2017. This comprises of Alphington Primary School, Bowhill Primary School and St Thomas Primary School.

A message from the Headteacher

On behalf of the pupils, staff and governors, I would like to warmly welcome you to Ide Primary School.

We pride ourselves in providing a caring, happy and friendly atmosphere that nurtures every individual child and enables them to meet their maximum potential in each area of their growth and development.

At Ide, we believe that each child is different, yet equally important and valued. This ethos is tangible and can be felt as soon as you walk into our school building and the classrooms. High quality relationships are at the centre of everything we do and children and adults in our school have strong and positive relationships built on trust and respect.

Our dedicated staff know how important it is that children receive a broad, balanced and engaging education which focuses on high achievement and progress across the full range of curriculum subjects and places high value on social, cultural, emotional and spiritual development.

Through our wide- ranging curriculum, we ensure that children’s individual talents can be spotted and encouraged so that every child experiences success. Our values and learning behaviours support our enthusiastic and creative children to develop a passion for learning and curiosity that leads to independence, high aspirations and a desire to be the best that they can be, for themselves and for others.

Our thriving school is at the heart of village life and we work in very close partnership with our families, whether they live in Ide or close by, and with the wider community. We are committed to extending and strengthening our links within our local environment and beyond, as part of our drive to provide the very best possible opportunities for our young people.

We are always seeking ways to improve as a school and you will find details of our school improvement priorities below.

If you would like to visit us and find out more, I would be delighted to show you around the school. You can book an appointment by phoning the school or emailing admin@ide.devon.sch.uk

Alice Purcell