The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy
84%
Capacity
1,011
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy
The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy is a mixed secondary school in North Devon for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a current roll of 1,011 against a capacity of 1,200. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 24.7%, which is notably higher than the national average and reflects the school's role in serving a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Demand for places is solid: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 166 applications for 156 places, with all 156 first-preference applicants receiving an offer, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.06. This suggests that while the school is popular locally, it is not heavily oversubscribed, and most families who put it first are successful. The school has a Church of England religious character, a sixth form, and is led by headteacher Stephen Rogers.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2017. The inspection found that quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all require improvement, though personal development and sixth-form provision were both rated Good. However, the school's Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is +0.48, which is well above the Devon local authority average of -0.09 and places it in the top 25% of schools nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 50.8, and 78.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the average points per entry is 30.19 (equivalent to a C grade), and the value-added score of +0.03 is in the average band, suggesting students make expected progress in the sixth form.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including science labs, a sports hall, music rooms, a chapel, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision covers athletics, rowing, rugby, and dance, while extracurricular options include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, debate, choir, and Model UN. SEND provision is well-documented, with support for pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, physical disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder. This breadth of support, combined with the school's strong Progress 8 outcomes relative to the local area, makes it a pragmatic choice for families in North Devon who want a secondary with a sixth form and a clear focus on academic progress, particularly for pupils who may benefit from additional support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Worth Road, Ilfracombe, North Devon, EX34 9JB |
| Headteacher | Stephen Rogers |
| Local Authority | Devon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,011 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,011 / 1,200 (84% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
10 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 29 Jun 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.48)
532nd of 3,141
Nationally
32nd of 306
In South West
2nd of 6
In North Devon
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
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
35.6
'22/23
34.4
'23/24
30.2
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
2022/2335%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 158 pupils).
- FE college41%
- School sixth form (stay)35%
- Not sustained13%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship4%
86% 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
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 82 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
12%
Russell Group
17%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
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)52%
- Employment29%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Further education2%
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- Art and Design (Photography)15
- English Language and Literature12
- Biology11
- History11
- Psychology11
- Art and Design (Fine Art)9
- Mathematics9
- Geography8
- Sociology8
- Physics6
- Chemistry5
- Spanish5
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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed156
166
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
156 families put this school as their 1st choice (94% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British92.4%
- White (other)2.5%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian1.0%
- Black0.1%
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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
3
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
2
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 The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy
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
Worth Road, Ilfracombe
North Devon, EX34 9JB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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