Devizes School
73%
Capacity
987
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About Devizes School
Devizes School is a mixed 11-18 state secondary in Wiltshire, sitting 8th out of 26 schools in the local authority when ranked by Progress 8, placing it comfortably in the top third of its peers. In a county where the top-performing schools include South Wilts Grammar School, Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School, and St Laurence School, Devizes holds its own as a non-selective comprehensive. The school is led by headteacher David Cooper and serves 987 pupils against a capacity of 1355, meaning there is room to grow. It is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 184 applications for 161 places and 134 first-preference offers, suggesting solid local demand. Just over a fifth of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly above the national average for secondaries, and the school has no religious character.
Academically, Devizes delivers above-average outcomes. Its Progress 8 score of 0.27 is well above the Wiltshire average of -0.01, and the school ranks 72nd out of 306 secondaries in the South West region. The Attainment 8 score sits at 46.3, and 68.1% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. Progress in maths is particularly strong at 0.41, while English progress is more modest at 0.14. The EBacc entry rate is low at 16.5%, but those who take it achieve an average APS of 4.08. In the sixth form, the school’s value-added score of 0.15 is rated above average, with students averaging a B- grade across their best three A-levels and 18.3% achieving AAB or higher. Ofsted inspected in October 2024 and rated the school Good across all areas including behaviour, personal development, and leadership, though the overall effectiveness was not judged on this occasion.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, science labs, art studios, sports hall, gymnasium, ICT suite, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision is extensive, with football, netball, rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, martial arts, and dance all on offer. Clubs include drama, choir, orchestra, art club, coding, gardening, debate, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND support covers a wide spectrum, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Parent View responses from 155 families show 55% would recommend the school, though opinions are mixed: 62% agree their child is happy, but only 38% feel SEND children get the support they need, and just 36% think concerns are dealt with properly. This is a solid, well-regarded comprehensive that suits families looking for a large, inclusive secondary with a strong sixth form and good academic progress, particularly in maths.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | The Green, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3AG |
| Headteacher | David Cooper |
| Local Authority | Wiltshire |
| Number of Pupils | 987 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.3% |
| School Capacity | 987 / 1,355 (73% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.27)
898th of 3,141
Nationally
72nd of 306
In South West
8th of 26
In Wiltshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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
37.3
'22/23
31.7
'23/24
35.5
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
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 171 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- FE college43%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment2%
92% 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
2022/2355%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 107 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)55%
- Employment31%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education2%
- Other education1%
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- Psychology44
- Sociology44
- Media/Film/Tv Studies30
- English Literature29
- Biology27
- History22
- Mathematics17
- Chemistry13
- English Language11
- Geography11
- Physics8
- Religious Studies8
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.
Ofsted Parent View
155 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
2025/26Oversubscribed161
184
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
134 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: devizesschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.8%
- White (other)4.1%
- Mixed2.1%
- Asian1.5%
- Black0.3%
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.
7
Total schools
6
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Devizes School
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
The Green, Devizes
Wiltshire, SN10 3AG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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