I’m really pleased to see two Exeter schools – St Gabriel’s Church of England Primary School and Whipton Barton Junior School – receive national recognition for their outstanding work supporting disadvantaged pupils.
Both schools have been identified as being in the top quartile nationally for outcomes for disadvantaged children, which is a huge achievement and a real credit to the dedication of their teachers, support staff, leadership teams, pupils, and families.
Earlier this year, the Education Secretary wrote directly to the headteachers of both schools to congratulate them on the excellent progress made during the 2024/25 academic year. That recognition is well deserved.
I had the chance to visit St Gabriel’s recently, and it was a brilliant reminder of what makes our local schools so special. I saw first‑hand the commitment to helping every child get the best possible start in life and was rigorously grilled by Year 6 pupils about fair trade policies for their podcast.
Both schools have been encouraged to share their best practice with others across Exeter through the local RISE networks, helping to strengthen support where it’s most needed and ensuring our school system continues to improve together.
I look forward to continuing to work with schools across the city so that every child in Exeter has the opportunity to achieve and thrive.
