South Dartmoor Community College
47%
Capacity
795
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About South Dartmoor Community College
Parents at South Dartmoor Community College are overwhelmingly positive, with 92% of respondents to the Ofsted Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That figure comes from 130 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, and it’s backed up by strong individual scores: 93% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 89% felt the same about their child feeling safe. The school is clearly popular locally, too. For the 2025/26 academic year, it received 234 applications for 152 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.54. Of those, 144 were first-preference applications, and 143 first-preference offers were made. That level of demand suggests a school that local families trust and want to get into.
Academically, South Dartmoor sits in a solid middle ground. Its Progress 8 score of 0.06 is above the Devon local authority average of -0.09, meaning pupils typically achieve slightly better than expected compared with their peers nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 44.1 translates to an average grade of just over a 4 (low C) per subject. In English, the Progress 8 score is a stronger 0.19, while maths sits at 0.04. The basics measure — pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in both English and maths — stands at 62.6%, and 41.7% achieved a grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school’s value-added score is -0.05, classed as average, with students averaging a C grade across their best three A-levels. The school ranks 1st out of 7 schools in the Teignbridge local area by Progress 8, and 12th out of 43 similar schools across Devon.
The school is a large secondary with a capacity of 1,708 but currently has just 795 pupils on roll, so there is plenty of room to grow. Facilities are generous for a state school: a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre are all on site. The SEND provision is broad, covering 11 categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. 28% of Parent View respondents said their child has SEND, and 72% of those agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives them the support they need. With 20.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a genuinely mixed intake. It’s a good fit for families in Teignbridge who want a large, well-equipped comprehensive with strong parent satisfaction and academic results that sit comfortably above the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Balland Lane, Ashburton, Teignbridge, TQ13 7EW |
| Headteacher | Jen Veal |
| Local Authority | Devon |
| Number of Pupils | 795 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.6% |
| School Capacity | 795 / 1,708 (47% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Sept 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Oct 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.06)
1379th of 3,141
Nationally
128th of 306
In South West
1st 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
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.3
'22/23
30.6
'23/24
30.6
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
2022/2330%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 179 pupils).
- FE college53%
- School sixth form (stay)30%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment2%
- Sixth form college1%
96% 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
2022/2348%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 56 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
18%
Russell Group
15%
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.
- University (HE)48%
- Employment32%
- Not sustained14%
- Apprenticeship2%
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- Psychology14
- Art and Design (Graphics)12
- Biology10
- Business Studies:Single9
- Mathematics9
- Economics8
- History8
- Religious Studies8
- Art and Design (Fine Art)7
- Physical Education / Sports Studies7
- Chemistry6
- Art and Design (Photography)5
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
130 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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
21Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed152
234
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
144 families put this school as their 1st choice (62% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.3%
- Mixed3.2%
- White (other)2.1%
- Asian0.3%
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.
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 South Dartmoor 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
Balland Lane, Ashburton
Teignbridge, TQ13 7EW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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