St Cuthbert Mayne School

About St Cuthbert Mayne School

St Cuthbert Mayne School’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.75 sits well below the Torbay local authority average of -0.4 for secondary schools, placing it seventh out of nine schools in the area. This means that, on average, pupils here achieve nearly three-quarters of a grade less per subject than their peers nationally, and the gap is wider than the typical school in the borough. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 37.3 reflects this, and only 42.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 21.3% at grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is low at 10.3%, and just 3.4% of pupils entered the full EBacc. These figures paint a picture of a school where academic outcomes are a significant challenge, particularly when compared with the strong performance of nearby grammar schools like Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, which leads the LA with a Progress 8 score of 0.37.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2025 rated it Good across all areas, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a notable improvement from its previous inspection in March 2023, when it was judged to require improvement overall. In the sixth form, the value-added score of -0.05 is in line with the national average, and students achieved an average grade of C- per entry. However, the sixth form is small, with only 29 pupils, and no students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. Parent feedback from the period September 2024 to September 2025 is largely positive: 82% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 84% said their child feels safe. A strong 86% agreed the school has high expectations for their child, and 86% felt their child does well. However, only 62% of parents agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, with 31% strongly disagreeing.

St Cuthbert Mayne is a mixed Roman Catholic and Church of England secondary school in Torbay, with 992 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1115. It has a sixth form centre and a range of facilities including a swimming pool, chapel, gymnasium, and playing fields. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 209 applications for 194 places, and 72 first-preference offers made. It has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 40.9%, well above the national average. The school offers a broad range of clubs including Science Club, Debate, Orchestra, DofE, and Model UN, and sports such as football, hockey, rugby, cricket, athletics, and rounders. Its SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This school may suit families who prioritise a supportive, inclusive environment and a strong pastoral focus over top-tier academic results, particularly those whose children may benefit from the school’s SEND support and its recent improvement trajectory.

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