Callington Community College
N/A
Capacity
862
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Callington Community College
Parents considering Callington Community College will want to know what other families think, and the numbers here are telling. In the most recent admissions round for the 2025/26 school year, the school received 307 applications for 170 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.81. That means nearly two families applied for every spot, and crucially, every one of the 165 first-preference applicants was offered a place. This suggests that for those who put it first, the school is a realistic and popular choice. The school is a mixed, non-denominational secondary with a sixth form, serving 862 pupils in Cornwall. A quarter of its students are eligible for free school meals, which is a significant proportion and gives some context to the school's intake. The headteacher is Wendy Ainsworth, who has been leading the school through a period of notable improvement.
Academically, Callington Community College has made clear progress. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with every category — including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and sixth form provision — all rated Good. This is a marked improvement from its previous inspection in 2019, when it was rated Requires Improvement. Looking at the 2023/24 exam results, the school's Progress 8 score was -0.28, which is below the national average and also below the Cornwall local authority average of -0.12. This places the school 23rd out of 31 secondary schools in Cornwall. At Key Stage 5, the picture is more positive: the value-added score was 0.2, and the average A-level grade per entry was a C, with the best three A-levels averaging a C+. The sixth form is rated Good and serves 37 students in that cohort.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, theatre, and music rooms, alongside clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Sports on offer include cricket, hockey, gymnastics, and martial arts. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists provisions for a broad spectrum of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Given its oversubscription but high first-preference offer rate, this is a school that local families clearly want, and it seems particularly well-suited to those who value a broad extracurricular offer and a sixth form that performs solidly above its Key Stage 4 baseline. The improvement journey from Requires Improvement to Good across the board is a strong signal of effective leadership.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Launceston Road, Callington, Cornwall, PL17 7DR |
| Headteacher | Wendy Ainsworth |
| Local Authority | Cornwall |
| Number of Pupils | 862 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.0% |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 2 Mar 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.28)
2178th of 3,141
Nationally
229th of 306
In South West
23rd of 31
In Cornwall
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
29.9
'22/23
30.7
'23/24
31.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2324%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 169 pupils).
- FE college33%
- Sixth form college26%
- School sixth form (stay)24%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment4%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2327%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 48 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
11%
Russell Group
14%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- Employment50%
- University (HE)27%
- Not sustained13%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Further education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Media/Film/Tv Studies14
- Art and Design (Photography)12
- Biology10
- Chemistry10
- Psychology9
- English Literature7
- Film Studies7
- Art and Design6
- Mathematics5
- Environmental Science3
- Physics3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed170
307
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
165 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British89.4%
- White (other)5.0%
- Mixed3.3%
- Asian0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Callington Community College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Launceston Road, Callington
Cornwall, PL17 7DR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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