Pilton Community College Review 2026: Good Ofsted rating, inclusive 11 to 16 provision in Barnstaple

A large Barnstaple secondary with a clear emphasis on belonging, and a curriculum that aims to keep breadth while raising consistency. The most recent Ofsted inspection, in February to March 2023, judged the school Good across all areas, and described pupils as happy and safe, with calm routines and high expectations for behaviour.

Academically, outcomes sit broadly in line with the middle of England’s performance distribution for secondary schools. In FindMySchool’s GCSE outcomes ranking, it places 2,667th in England and 3rd in Barnstaple, a useful orientation point for families comparing local options side by side. Progress measures indicate that, on average, pupils make slightly below average progress from their starting points, so the fit tends to be strongest where a child benefits from structured teaching, regular assessment, and consistent routines.

Leadership is listed as Mr Danny Heaton in Devon’s school directory and the Harbour Schools Partnership trust directory; the school and trust do not clearly publish an appointment date in the accessible sources.

The defining thread here is the insistence that pupils should feel safe, known, and included. External review evidence describes warm, respectful relationships between pupils and staff, with leaders setting clear expectations so lessons can run without disruption. That matters in a large 11 to 16 school, where daily experience is often defined less by headline initiatives and more by whether routines hold in corridors, classrooms, and social spaces.

There is also a notable outward looking element. The latest inspection report describes a strong culture of internationalism, with pupils taking part in shared projects with visitors from abroad and trips that extend beyond the local area. In practice, this signals a school that tries to broaden horizons, not only through curriculum, but through experiences that help pupils connect learning to the wider world.

For pupils who need additional support, the school’s inclusive intent is not just a general statement. The 2023 inspection notes that leaders identify needs accurately, share useful information with teachers, and adapt teaching accordingly. It also references a specialist provision for pupils with autism, described as a communication and interaction resource base, alongside wider SEND identification and support.

This is a mixed picture that benefits from being read with two lenses, attainment and progress.

FindMySchool GCSE ranking context

Ranked 2,667th in England and 3rd in Barnstaple for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). The percentile position, around the 58th percentile, places performance broadly in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Core GCSE measures from the dataset

• Attainment 8 score: 41.5

• Progress 8 score: -0.23

• EBacc entry and achievement indicators: average EBacc APS 3.59, and 12.2% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc measure listed.

Progress 8 at -0.23 indicates that, on average, pupils achieve slightly below what would be expected nationally given their prior attainment. For parents, the implication is practical rather than abstract: this is a school where consistency of teaching, homework habits, and pastoral structure matter, and where pupils who arrive with gaps benefit from clear routines and targeted support rather than relying on rapid independent catch-up. (Progress measures should also be interpreted with an understanding that cohorts differ year to year, and local context influences intake.)

If you are comparing Barnstaple options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tools can help you line up rankings and core metrics consistently, without having to reconcile differing presentation styles across sites.

The most useful indicators here come from how the curriculum is described and how teaching is expected to operate day to day.

The 2023 inspection report describes a broad and ambitious curriculum that has been carefully sequenced, with pupils building knowledge and skills in a planned order. It also notes substantial curriculum time devoted to languages in key stage 3, with most pupils studying two modern foreign languages at that stage. The implication for families is that languages are not treated as an optional extra; they are used as a lever for cultural literacy and academic breadth.

On pedagogy, the same report points to staff professional development and the use of assessment to identify misconceptions quickly. In practice, that is a strong marker of a school trying to tighten consistency across subjects, so pupils experience fewer “good in one department, variable in another” swings as they move through years 7 to 11.

SEND adaptation is described in concrete terms: leaders identify needs accurately; teachers receive information that helps them adjust teaching; pupils who attend the specialist autism provision are supported to apply learning with increasing independence. That combination, identification plus classroom adaptation plus specialist provision, is typically what parents mean when they ask whether a school is genuinely inclusive rather than simply welcoming in tone.

With provision ending at 16, the key question is whether pupils leave year 11 with a clear sense of next steps, and whether the school builds careers awareness early enough.

Both the 2019 and 2023 inspection evidence indicates that careers information, advice and guidance is part of the school’s planned approach. The 2023 report highlights work experience for older pupils, while also noting that younger pupils do not always develop a detailed enough understanding of careers and future options. The practical implication is that families may want to be proactive from years 8 to 9, encouraging attendance at careers events and asking specific questions about pathways to sixth form, further education, and apprenticeships.

Because published leaver destination statistics are not available in the provided dataset for this school, it is sensible to judge preparation by what is consistently evidenced: structured guidance, exposure to options, and the quality of year 11 outcomes that open doors to local sixth forms, colleges, and training providers.

Admissions for year 7 are coordinated by Devon County Council, using the standard secondary transfer timetable. Applications for September 2026 entry opened on 01 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offers released on 02 March 2026.

Devon’s school directory also lists a Published Admission Number of 270 for 2025 to 2026, and reports 248 places offered for September 2025. These figures help contextualise scale and local demand, even though they are not a complete picture of preferences and oversubscription patterns on their own.

The most reliable advice for families is process focused:

• Read Devon’s coordinated admissions guidance before applying, then ensure preferences are ranked in genuine order.

• If you are weighing multiple Barnstaple secondaries, use FindMySchoolMap Search to understand realistic travel time and day to day logistics from your home to each gate, then sanity check that against your child’s likely transport route in winter months.

• If you are applying after the published deadline, treat this as higher risk in oversubscribed years, because late applications are typically processed after on time allocations.

Open events are not consistently published in the accessible official sources. In Devon, secondary open evenings typically run in early autumn, often September to October, so families considering future entry should monitor the school and local authority communications as that season approaches.

The 2023 inspection evidence describes pupils as happy and safe, and notes strong relationships with staff. It also highlights leaders seeking pupil views on how to provide advice and support around harmful sexual behaviour, and ensuring pupils learn about staying safe online. In a secondary setting, the most meaningful pastoral systems are those that translate into confident reporting routes and consistent follow up; this external evidence indicates that leaders are focused on those mechanics rather than treating wellbeing as a slogan.

There is also an honesty in the improvement points. The same report indicates that pupils do not always know enough about how to keep themselves mentally healthy, and that debate and discussion skills are not consistently strong. For parents, that is a prompt to ask practical questions: how PSHE and tutor programmes are structured, how pupils access support early, and how staff encourage respectful discussion across subjects.

SEND leadership is clearly identified in Devon’s directory, which lists the SENCO as Simon Robilliard, giving families a clear point of reference when asking about support plans, transition, and reasonable adjustments.

The most specific, verifiable extracurricular signals available in accessible official sources are programme based rather than club list based.

First, international activity appears to be more than occasional. The 2023 inspection report references trips in the UK and abroad, and shared projects with visitors from overseas, describing a culture of internationalism. The implication is that pupils who engage with languages and humanities can often find extension opportunities that feel purposeful rather than tokenistic.

Second, pupil voice is framed as a practical system. The same report mentions a school “drop box” used to share acts of kindness. While small, this sort of mechanism can be important for younger pupils who are still learning how to participate in a secondary environment, because it offers a simple route into recognition and community norms.

Third, inclusive extracurricular access is supported by the presence of specialist provision for pupils with autism, and by the wider SEND adaptation described in the inspection. In many schools, clubs can unintentionally become exclusionary for pupils who need predictable structure; evidence of planned support raises the likelihood that staff can help pupils access enrichment in a manageable way.

If your child is choosing a school partly for activities, the most effective approach is to ask for examples tied to their interests, for example languages, sport, arts, or technology, and then ask how participation is made accessible for pupils who are anxious, neurodiverse, or new to the area.

Pilton is a non boarding 11 to 16 secondary with a published capacity of 1,350, so day to day logistics matter.

Precise start and finish times are not consistently published in the accessible official sources, so families should confirm the current timetable directly with the school, including any breakfast supervision, after school support, and the timing of enrichment sessions. For travel planning, a Barnstaple based school of this size typically draws pupils from a mix of walking routes, family car drop offs, and public transport, so it is worth checking realistic journey time at peak traffic as well as in winter conditions.

• Progress measures. A Progress 8 score of -0.23 suggests that pupils, on average, make slightly below average progress from their starting points. This makes consistency of teaching, homework routines, and early intervention especially important for pupils who need to close gaps.

• Careers awareness in lower years. External review evidence indicates that careers guidance strengthens as pupils get older, but younger pupils do not always develop detailed knowledge of options early on. Families may want to start career conversations earlier than they expect, especially if a child is unsure about post 16 pathways.

• Open event information. Official sources accessible here do not consistently publish open day dates. Families may need to be proactive in the autumn term to secure a visit and get questions answered before the Devon application deadline.

Pilton Community College suits families looking for a large, inclusive Barnstaple secondary with a Good inspection profile and a clear emphasis on safety, respectful behaviour, and breadth through key stage 3, including a meaningful languages offer. The school appears strongest for pupils who benefit from structured teaching and pastoral consistency, and for those who will take up wider opportunities such as trips and international projects. The key decision point is whether the school’s progress profile and curriculum approach align with your child’s learning habits and support needs.