More than half of Sidmouth CofE Primary school students failed to meet expected standards at Key Stage 2 last year.

A study into how well schools perform in key subjects revealed that 51% of pupils at the school were failing to meet national targets.

The data from the Department for Education awards scores reflecting pupils’ progress between Key Stage 1 and 2 exams in the 2017/18 academic year, and Sidmouth Primary was 244th out of 277 Devon schools for reading and 226th for maths.

Startling figures show that just 49% of pupils at the school were meeting their Key Stage 2 targets for reading, writing and maths.

Sidmouth CofE Primary was approached for comment but had not replied at the time of going to print.

At Tipton St John CofE Primary School, 93% of pupils met the target.

The school was ranked fourth in Devon according to the progress scores and particularly excelled at maths where students scored the highest in the county.

Head of school Michael Tuckett said: “Our results this year were particularly pleasing and we are very proud of our pupils and team.

“As an all-through church school primary with a pre-school attached we work very hard to shape ourselves around the children.

“We help our children to settle, find pleasure and interest in learning and then use the great relationships we have with families and friends to support them, challenge them and help them to be the best they can be.”

Newton Poppleford and West Hill Primary also made the top 100 in terms of reading, ranking 63rd and 74th respectively.

The best school in the whole of Devon according to the progress scores was Instow Community Primary in North Devon.

For Devon as a whole, average scores saw the local authority slip five places to 87th of England’s 152 authorities.