Atlantic Academy
Free schools · 242 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.1
Academy converter
Coombeshead Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 870of 1,440 places
- Free school meals
- 30.1%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 166
- Ofsted
- Good, 28 February 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Coombeshead College (URN 113522, until 1 August 2011).
What the data says
Of the 145 pupils who finished Year 11 at Coombeshead Academy in 2023, 30% stayed on in Coombeshead Academy’s own sixth form (Devon average 23%), 41% went to a further education college and 6% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 53 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 11% went to university (Devon 25%, England 37%), and 3% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally; 15% started an apprenticeship, well above the 7% England average.
Food Preparation and Nutrition is unusually popular at GCSE: 42% of the year group took it, against 8% of pupils across England.
A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-; 0% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, English Language and Literature and Mathematics.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Devon and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Coombeshead Academy | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 145 | 7,192 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 83% | 92% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 72% | 82% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 30% | 23% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 2% | 13% |
| — further education college | 41% | 56% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 6% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 10% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 6% | 2% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Coombeshead Academy | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 53 | 5,824 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 77% | 80% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 11% | 25% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 3% | 19% | 19% |
| Further education | 2% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 15% | 10% | 7% |
| Employment | 47% | 41% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 19% | 15% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Coombeshead Academy | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 46.8 | 45.4 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 49% | 46% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 70% | 66% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 63% | 37% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.21 | 4.02 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 24% | 22% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 36.6 | 32.3 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 50.0 | 49.0 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 5% | 6% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 165 | 99% | 89% | 21% | 20% | 74% |
| Mathematics | 165 | 99% | 88% | 16% | 22% | 76% |
| English Literature | 163 | 98% | 86% | 15% | 21% | 75% |
| Combined Science | 139 | 84% | 65% | 14% | 9% | 61% |
| Geography | 97 | 58% | 41% | 18% | 25% | 66% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 70 | 42% | 8% | 23% | 21% | 84% |
| French | 68 | 41% | 18% | 10% | 29% | 54% |
| History | 61 | 37% | 41% | 18% | 26% | 44% |
| Physical Education | 47 | 28% | 11% | 23% | 24% | 85% |
| Spanish | 38 | 23% | 19% | 11% | 27% | 61% |
| Photography | 29 | 17% | 6% | 14% | 19% | 76% |
| Media Studies | 28 | 17% | 4% | 7% | 20% | 46% |
| Business Studies | 27 | 16% | 18% | 7% | 20% | 48% |
| 3D Design | 25 | 15% | 2% | 8% | 16% | 60% |
| Biology | 24 | 14% | 23% | 25% | 45% | 92% |
| Chemistry | 23 | 14% | 23% | 22% | 47% | 83% |
| Physics | 23 | 14% | 23% | 35% | 46% | 74% |
| Art and Design | 19 | 11% | 7% | 21% | 24% | 89% |
| Drama | 18 | 11% | 7% | 22% | 27% | 78% |
| Textiles | 14 | 8% | 2% | 7% | 27% | 64% |
| Computer Science | 13 | 8% | 13% | 15% | 30% | 38% |
| Music | 11 | 7% | 5% | 9% | 33% | 91% |
| Statistics | 2 | 1% | 5% | — | 20% | — |
| Psychology | 1 | 1% | 3% | — | 22% | — |
| Fine Art | 1 | 1% | 9% | — | 28% | — |
| Turkish | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 71% | — |
| Arabic | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | 20 | 59% | — |
| Dance: General | 11 | 32% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 9 | 26% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Coombeshead Academy | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 62 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 34 | 3,028 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 23.95 | 34.55 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 0% | 15% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 10 | 29% | 23% |
| English Language and Literature | 8 | 24% | 2% |
| Mathematics | 7 | 21% | 31% |
| Geography | 7 | 21% | 10% |
| Art and Design | — | — | 1% |
| Graphic Communication | — | — | 2% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Biology | — | — | 20% |
| Business Studies | — | — | 13% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | 11 | 32% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 10 | 29% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 9 | 26% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 8 | 24% | — |
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 8 | 24% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 18% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 6 | 18% | — |
| Speech and Drama | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Speech and Drama | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Tourism | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Devon
Axe Valley Academy
Academy sponsor led · 741 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 39.2
Bideford College
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 1,455 pupils
71% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.7
Braunton Academy
Academy converter · 828 pupils
87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 53.7
Chulmleigh Community College
Academy converter · 735 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.1
Clyst Vale Community College
Academy converter · sixth form · 944 pupils
78% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.5
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.