Tavistock College

About Tavistock College

Tavistock College’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.2 places it below the Devon local authority average of -0.09, meaning pupils here make less academic progress between Key Stage 2 and GCSE than their peers across the county. That gap is modest but consistent — the school’s Progress 8 banding is officially ‘Below average’, and it ranks 22nd out of 43 secondary schools in Devon. Within West Devon, it sits at the bottom of just two schools, though that’s a small sample. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 42.8 and EBacc average point score of 3.81 reflect a cohort that enters with below-average prior attainment, so the context matters. What stands out is that the school has improved significantly since its previous Ofsted inspection in 2022, when it was rated Inadequate overall. In its most recent inspection in 2024, it moved up to Requires Improvement, with Good ratings for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision.

At GCSE, 54.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 34.3% achieved a grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 49.4%, though only 18.8% of pupils entered the full EBacc and 10.5% achieved it at grade 5 or above. Progress in English (-0.32) and maths (-0.27) are both below the national average, and the school’s overall Progress 8 confidence interval (-0.38 to -0.02) suggests the true figure is likely still negative. At A-level, the picture is more encouraging: the sixth form’s value-added score is 0.02, right in line with the national average, and its progress banding is ‘Average’. The average points per entry is 29.82, equivalent to a grade C, and the best three A-levels average out at a C grade too. With 78 pupils in the sixth form, it’s a sizeable post-16 cohort, and Ofsted rates the sixth-form provision as Good — the strongest area of the school.

The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 234 applications for 185 places and 180 first-preference offers made, suggesting solid local demand. Facilities are extensive for a state secondary: a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, gymnasium, playing fields, music rooms, and art studios, plus a dedicated sixth-form centre. The co-curricular offer is broad, with clubs ranging from coding and science club to Young Enterprise, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and an orchestra. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. Tavistock College suits families who want a large, inclusive 11-18 school with good sixth-form outcomes and improving behaviour and leadership, but who are realistic about GCSE results that trail the Devon average.

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