Saltash Community School

About Saltash Community School

Saltash Community School is a large mixed secondary and sixth form in Cornwall, part of the state sector and non-denominational. In the local authority’s rankings for Progress 8, it sits 24th out of 31 schools of the same type, placing it in the bottom half of the county. For context, the top-performing peers in Cornwall include The Roseland Academy, Penrice Academy and Poltair School, all of which post positive Progress 8 scores. Saltash’s own Progress 8 score of -0.3 is below the Cornwall average of -0.12, and the school ranks 237th out of 306 secondaries in the South West region. Nationally, it falls in the bottom 50% of schools on this measure. The school is led by headteacher Sara Del Gaudio and currently educates 1,149 pupils against a capacity of 1,372, so there is some room for growth. It was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, with 249 applications for 176 places and 161 first-preference offers.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 45.4, and 62.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though this drops to 41.5% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 13.3%, and only 9.2% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. Progress 8 is below average across all subject groups, with maths showing the weakest progress at -0.45. At Key Stage 5, the picture is similar: the value-added score is -0.54, classed as below average, and the average points per entry is 24.18, equating to a D+ grade. The best three A-levels average out at D+. Ofsted visited in May 2025 and rated the school Good across all areas including behaviour, personal development and leadership, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in December 2022. The sixth form provision was also rated Good.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, a sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, music rooms and a sixth form centre. There is a dedicated SEN unit and provisions for a wide range of needs including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses from 198 respondents show a divided picture: 47% would recommend the school, while 53% would not. Only 35% of parents strongly agreed or agreed that their child is happy, and just 29% felt concerns are dealt with properly. On the positive side, 82% agreed there is a good range of subjects, and 85% said their child can take part in clubs and activities. Clubs include DofE, Model UN, Young Enterprise, choir and drama. This school may suit families who value the improved Ofsted rating and the breadth of extracurricular and SEN support, but who are prepared for a school where academic outcomes are below the local average and parental satisfaction is mixed.

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