West Exe School
95%
Capacity
1,237
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About West Exe School
West Exe School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 326 applications for 248 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.31. That means for every place available, more than one family wanted it, and the school was able to offer first-preference places to 245 of the 248 applicants. This level of demand suggests parents in Exeter see real value here, and the school’s size — 1,237 pupils against a capacity of 1,300 — reinforces that it is operating near full. While the Department for Education does not publish a single parent satisfaction score for this school, the oversubscription figures act as a strong proxy: families are actively choosing West Exe, and the school is turning applicants away.
Academically, West Exe delivers solid results that sit above the Devon local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.16 means pupils here make about one-sixth of a grade more progress per subject than the national average, and well above the LA average of -0.09. Attainment 8 sits at 48.4, and 70.7 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths — a strong basics measure. The school’s EBacc entry rate is 68.1 per cent, though only 30.6 per cent of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. That is a clean sweep, and consistent with its previous Good rating from 2014.
The school offers a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and dedicated art and music studios. Sports provision covers football, rugby, cricket, dance, and martial arts, while clubs include Debate, Chess, Drama, Eco Club, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. West Exe also has a strong SEND offer, with provisions for dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no sixth form or nursery, so it is a straight 11-16 secondary. For families in Exeter who want a large, well-subscribed school with above-average academic progress and a wide extracurricular programme, West Exe is a strong contender.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Hatherleigh Road, Exeter, Exeter, EX2 9JU |
| Headteacher | Julie Fossey |
| Local Authority | Devon |
| Number of Pupils | 1,237 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,237 / 1,300 (95% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Jun 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 25 Jul 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.16)
1170th of 3,141
Nationally
103rd of 306
In South West
3rd of 5
In Exeter
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 192 pupils).
- FE college78%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment4%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
92% 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.
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed248
326
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
248 families put this school as their 1st choice (76% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:05
Source: westexe.devon.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British78.9%
- White (other)8.2%
- Mixed4.8%
- Asian2.0%
- Black0.4%
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.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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 West Exe School
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
Hatherleigh Road, Exeter
Exeter, EX2 9JU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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