Coombeshead Academy
61%
Capacity
873
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Coombeshead Academy
Coombeshead Academy’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.12 sits just below the Devon local authority average of -0.09, placing it in the middle of the pack for the area. That marginal difference means the school is broadly in line with what you’d expect from a typical state secondary in the county, rather than punching above or below its weight. Its Attainment 8 score of 43.8 and an EBacc average point score of 3.83 reinforce this picture of solid, if unspectacular, performance. The school ranks 19th out of 43 similar schools in Devon, and 3rd out of 7 in the Teignbridge district, which suggests it’s a reliable choice locally. With 26.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a community with above-average disadvantage, so these results should be read in that context.
At GCSE, 65.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 38.4% hit the grade 5 threshold. The EBacc entry rate of 50.9% is healthy, but just 8% of pupils entered the full EBacc and achieved grade 5 or above. The school’s Progress 8 banding is rated ‘Average’, and its individual subject progress scores are all negative but modest: -0.15 in both English and maths, and -0.24 in EBacc subjects. The sixth form is smaller, with 33 pupils, and here the value added score of -1.02 is rated ‘Well below average’, with an average points per entry of 24.32, equivalent to a D+. This is a clear weak spot, and parents considering post-16 options should weigh it carefully.
Coombeshead Academy is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 325 applications for 196 places, with 185 first-preference offers made. That’s a ratio of 1.66 applicants per place, so it’s a popular choice locally. The school has a wide range of facilities, including a theatre, music rooms, science labs, tennis courts, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rowing, gymnastics, and swimming, and there are clubs from Model UN to Young Enterprise. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. This is a school that suits families looking for a mainstream secondary with a broad curriculum and good extracurricular breadth, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit around the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, Teignbridge, TQ12 1PT |
| Headteacher | Helen Coulson |
| Local Authority | Devon |
| Number of Pupils | 873 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.5% |
| School Capacity | 873 / 1,440 (61% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
28 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.12)
1801st of 3,141
Nationally
184th of 306
In South West
3rd of 7
In Teignbridge
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
'21/22
30.6
'22/23
24.6
'23/24
24.3
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
2022/2335%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 172 pupils).
- FE college56%
- School sixth form (stay)35%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment2%
- Apprenticeship1%
95% 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
2022/2331%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 62 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
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.
- Employment48%
- University (HE)31%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained8%
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- Art and Design (Photography)12
- Psychology10
- Art and Design (Graphics)7
- Biology7
- Business Studies:Single6
- History5
- Sociology5
- English Language4
- Geography4
- Art and Design (Fine Art)3
- Drama and Theatre Studies3
- Government and Politics3
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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed196
325
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
185 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.1%
- Mixed5.4%
- White (other)1.9%
- Asian1.1%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
9
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Coombeshead Academy
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
Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot
Teignbridge, TQ12 1PT
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Reviews on Other Platforms
External reviews are provided by third-party platforms and are not verified by Classpot.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Coombeshead Academy!
Write a Review