Primary schools Devon (Exeter area)

[juliet76]

Hello all,

This is my first post on here although I have been looking at all the posts with great interest. I know this question has been asked but I am still so confused! We currently live in Madrid but are planning a move to possibly Devon (Exeter area) next year. My son is 4 and we need a good, friendly and preferably state (or not too expensive) primary for him - doesn't have to be in Exeter, could be in surrounding village. I would rather it was mixed gender. Any tips, suggestions? He is cheeky but not at all troublesome but a big day dreamer - he is currently at the French Lycée which is very pressured almost military I think and I think he might do better in a more relaxed atmosphere where teachers look for different ways to stimulate those who don't toe the line so easily. Ideally somewhere with good emphasis on the arts as I think he will be more creative than academic in the classic sense.
Thank you all so much in advance!

How far from Exeter are you willing to look and along which transport corridor.

Outside the city school are generally small primary school serving a few villages. some have 1 class per year group ( when a school has in the region of 200 pupils), others have mixed year teaching as the whole school may have under 100 pupils.

IF this is a long term move you may wish to consider secondary catchment areas as well. rural children may have long travel times to secondary by school bus.

In Exeter primary schools are often large, may have 90 pupils in each year group. Any school near the university will be used to pupils with English as an additional language and pupils moving in from a different school system. Primary schools tend to serve their catchment area and its hard to get a place out of catchment unless your child is in a low birth rate year.