Welcome to Appledore School

Appledore School is located in the heart of an ancient fishing village, rich in maritime history, where the River Torridge meets the River Taw in beautiful North Devon.

We have approximately two hundred and fifty children, aged 3-11, taught in single age classes with names linked to the sea. Many are named after famous ships built in Appledore Shipyard and reflect our pupils’ pride in their local heritage and community.

Through a rich and rigorous curriculum, our pupils play an active part in their local community and prepare for life’s opportunities, responsibilities and experiences, now and in the future. The creative arts are of huge importance to us and our art studio, woodland and polytunnel are the creative hubs of the school and our main corridor is our art gallery! We are part of a cooperative trust of schools and a training school for student teachers.

We hope you can find the information you are looking for, but if you can’t please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do all we can to help.  And as for the quotes, they are real!

From all the staff and pupils at Appledore School

Please note, we are a nut-free school.

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More >Latest News
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 12th June
Jun 12, 2026

The weather is changeable and we are really hoping we can host Sports Day on Tuesday 16th June. We decide on Monday if it will go ahead, once we have been able to assess weather forecasts, and let you know either way.. Fingers crossed this time!

Dates for the diary:

  • Sports Day has been rescheduled for Tuesday 16th June all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins information is here.
  • Summer activity camps at West Croft School 27th July – 14th August 5-13 years old, open to all and free for those on benefit related free school meals. See here
  • Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.
  • If you like to run or walk (or run and walk!), Families in Grief is holding an eight mile run or walk and one mile run for children called Barney to Beach on Sunday 13th September. For more information see here

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

Sports day Arrangements – Tuesday 16th June
Jun 7, 2026
We are looking forward to Sports Day on Tuesday 16th of May. These are the current plans for the day, please be aware changes may be required before the day or during the day in response to the weather and unforeseen circumstances.
School will open at the normal time and parents can take their places on the field once their child has gone into their classroom.
9.30am -11.30am: races for children in Years 1-6 will take place and parents and carers of children in these year groups are very welcome to attend. Please sit behind the roped off area. After these races all children will then go back to class for a short period of time.
12pm-12.45pm: Parents and carers are invited to stay to picnic with their children from reception to year 6 on the field. Children in years 1&2 can be collected from their classrooms, children in Reception from the Foundation Stage Unit and children in years 3-6 will come out to meet their parents.
Please stay on the field and do not enter the wooded area.
Children in Reception and years 1&2 that do not have parents attending will eat a school dinner in the hall as per usual. They will be having a School Packed Lunch instead of the usual Menu as there will be no hot meals that day. If you would like your child to be provided with a lunch please complete this form. Children in years 3-6 who do not have parents attending will eat their home packed lunch on the playground.
12.45pm: the children are called back to class for the register
1.15pm the activities for all children from Reception to year 6 will start. Children will be placed into house teams and will take part in a number of different activities. You are welcome to move around with your child’s team and support them in their activities. When it is your child’s group time for a rest break, they will go to the rest classroom and parents/carers please do not enter with them – this is new for this year.
Please can children in years 1-6 come to school wearing their PE kit. If possible they can wear a t-shirt in the colour of their house instead of their usual white PE shirt.  Children in Reception to wear a house colour t-shirt if possible (please see notice board outside FSU for which house/colour) and trainers.
Please ensure your child has a sun hat, named water bottle and applied sunscreen that lasts for the day.
When the afternoon activities have finished (usually no later than 2.30pm) all children will return to their classroom. Parents and carers can collect their children soon after as per usual arrangements. Older children who normally walk home will not be released from school until the usual end of day time of 3.30pm.
Best wishes
Appledore School
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 5th June
Jun 5, 2026

Welcome back and we hope you had a good half term break.

The Children’s Commissioner is asking for your support in helping children to take in her national survey, The Big Future. This is a valuable opportunity for children and young people to reflect on their experiences, share what matters most to them, and tell the Commissioner about their hopes and ambitions for the future in their own words. The survey is available here.

Dates for the diary:

  • Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50 and here for story reading in the library
  • Bude Lifeboat Junior Fun Run, 10 June, races for each primary age and younger, see here for information
  • Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.
  • Sports Day has been rescheduled for Tuesday 16th June all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins information is here.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

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