South Devon College

About South Devon College

South Devon College is an unusual secondary option in Torbay, catering to students from age 14 right through to 99, which immediately sets it apart from a typical school. It is a mixed, state-funded institution with no religious character, and the headteacher is Laurence Frewin. The school has a published capacity that appears to be comfortably met, though specific oversubscription data is not available. For context on intake, the local authority average for free school meals is not provided here, but nationally the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at around 23.8% in secondary schools. South Devon College’s own FSM percentage is not listed, so it is difficult to gauge its deprivation level directly. However, the school’s Progress 8 score of -1.26 places it last among the nine secondary schools in Torbay, which suggests it serves a cohort that may face significant challenges. The school’s ranking in the bottom 50 nationally (97.9th percentile) and bottom in the South West region (300th out of 306) reinforces that its intake profile is likely skewed towards pupils who need additional support.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Progress 8 score of -1.26 is well below the Torbay local authority average of -0.4, indicating that pupils make less progress than peers nationally. The Attainment 8 score sits at 33.5, and the basics measure (grade 4 or above in English and maths) is 65.4%, though this drops to 31.8% at grade 5 or above. No pupils entered the English Baccalaureate, and the EBacc average point score is 2.78. At Key Stage 5, the picture is slightly more encouraging: the value-added score is -0.15, which falls within the ‘Average’ progress banding, and the average points per entry is 25.58, equating to a grade of C-. The best three A-levels average grade is also a C, with points of 28.47. Only 2.7% of students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The school ranks 9th out of 9 in Torbay for Progress 8, and 3075th out of 3141 nationally.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a Sixth Form Centre, swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, science labs, and a chapel, alongside music rooms, art studios, and an ICT suite. Sports provision includes cricket, netball, swimming, rowing, and hockey, while clubs range from choir and orchestra to gardening, film club, and eco club. For families considering this school, it is important to note that it serves a post-16 cohort of 104 pupils and has a strong focus on vocational and technical education, given its college status. The school is likely best suited to students who thrive in a more adult learning environment, particularly those who may have struggled in a traditional secondary school setting. The lack of EBacc entry and low Progress 8 scores suggest that academic rigour is not the primary focus, but the average A-level value added indicates that students who stay on can make reasonable progress. Parents should weigh the practical facilities and wider curriculum against the academic outcomes when deciding.

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