Coombeshead Academy Review 2026, A broad secondary with a strong enrichment offer and improving curriculum focus

A school that talks openly about habits and routines tends to be clearer for families, and Coombeshead Academy leans into that framing. Expectations are communicated simply, and the emphasis is on steady, consistent learning rather than short bursts of intervention. The most recent inspection found pupils generally positive about the school, with strong staff pupil relationships and a clear push for higher expectations.

Academically, the picture is mixed. GCSE outcomes sit around the middle of schools in England on FindMySchool’s ranking, while the sixth form outcomes place it lower in England on the same measure. Admissions demand is real, and the published allocation and appeals timetable for 2026 sets out a structured process for Year 7 and Year 12 entry.

Coombeshead Academy positions itself as a school where belonging and clear routines matter. That usually shows up in predictable classrooms, consistent behaviour expectations, and a shared vocabulary pupils understand. The inspection evidence supports that sense of order, describing pupils as generally keen to learn and work hard in lessons, and highlighting pupil leadership structures that feed into decision-making.

Leadership context is worth understanding. The school is part of Education South West, and the 2023 inspection described an executive headteacher model supported by a head of school at the time. The current headteacher is Helen Coulson, and she is publicly listed as headteacher by the school and in wider school communications by September 2024. For parents, this matters less as biography and more as what it signals, a leadership team likely working to embed consistent curriculum and behaviour practice over time.

The school also has a clear creative identity. The on-site Bushell Theatre is a practical asset for performance and productions, and it gives the arts a visible place in school life rather than being squeezed into the edges of the timetable.

At GCSE, Coombeshead’s 2026 profile looks like a school that is broadly in line with the middle of England schools on headline outcomes, with some aspects that point to areas for improvement.

• GCSE ranking (FindMySchool, based on official data): Ranked 2,557th in England and 4th in Newton Abbot for GCSE outcomes. This reflects solid performance, in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

• Attainment 8: 43.8.

• Progress 8: -0.12, which indicates slightly below average progress from pupils’ starting points (Progress 8 is designed so 0 reflects average progress).

• EBacc: 8% achieving grades 5 or above across the English Baccalaureate measure listed.

For sixth form, the performance indicators are more clearly challenging when set against England averages.

• A-level ranking (FindMySchool, based on official data): Ranked 2,275th in England and 5th in Newton Abbot for A-level outcomes, placing it below England average overall on this measure.

• A-level grade profile: 3.45% A*, 8.62% A, 10.34% B, and 22.41% A* to B.

• England averages (for context): A* to A at 23.6%, and A* to B at 47.2%.

The most constructive way to read this is that GCSE outcomes are broadly typical for England, while sixth form outcomes suggest families should look carefully at course choices, entry requirements, and the support available for independent study habits.

The 2023 inspection describes a curriculum that is ambitious and carefully planned, with pupils in Key Stage 4 developing stronger subject understanding than previously. This points to a school investing in curriculum sequencing, retrieval, and teacher consistency. The same source also identifies a practical weakness, assessment practice is not consistently used across all subjects to spot gaps in knowledge early enough, which can affect pupil confidence and momentum.

Reading is treated as a priority. A daily reading programme in tutor time is described as running through Key Stage 5 as well, which is a relatively distinctive choice for a secondary, and it suggests a deliberate attempt to build vocabulary and background knowledge across subjects rather than leaving literacy to English alone.

For Year 11, the school highlights an additional hour of targeted teaching and support each day, framed as “Lesson 6”. The implication for families is straightforward, Coombeshead expects sustained effort at Key Stage 4, and there is structured time built into the week to support that.

Coombeshead Academy is an 11 to 18 school, so families should consider both post-16 progression and post-18 routes.

The published destination outcomes for the 2023 to 2024 cohort (cohort size 53) show a varied set of pathways:

• 47% moved into employment

• 15% started apprenticeships

• 11% progressed to university

• 2% progressed to further education

These figures suggest a sixth form cohort with diverse goals, and a local labour market connection that results in a meaningful proportion stepping directly into work.

Within the sixth form itself, the 2023 inspection notes that a small number of students did not access the full sixth form experience and did not continue into Year 13. For parents, that is a prompt to ask how the school monitors attendance, engagement, and course fit, particularly for students taking mixed programmes or commuting between sites.

Coombeshead Academy is a state school with no tuition fees. Entry is therefore about eligibility, local arrangements, and competition, not affordability.

Demand and competitiveness

The most recently published application and offer figures available for the school show 325 applications for 196 offers, a ratio of 1.66 applications per place, with the school listed as oversubscribed. In plain terms, families should assume competition and keep alternative preferences realistic.

Key dates for 2026 entry

The school publishes an admissions appeals timetable that includes the normal round allocation dates:

• Year 7 allocation date: 2 March 2026

• Year 7 appeals deadline: 20 April 2026

• Year 7 appeals heard by: 23 June 2026

For post-16:

• Year 12 allocation date: by 28 February 2026

• Year 12 appeals deadline: 31 March 2026

• Year 12 appeals heard by: 15 June 2026

• Sixth form appeals after GCSE results: within 30 school days, by 16 October 2026

Devon’s coordinated admissions process is the usual route for Year 7 places, while sixth form applications typically involve direct engagement with the school alongside results-day enrolment steps.

Sixth form entry requirements

Coombeshead Sixth Form College publishes minimum entry guidance that varies by pathway. The headline threshold is five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, with higher requirements for particular subjects and more academic routes. For example, some subjects indicate grade 6 in the chosen subject, while others indicate grade 5. The Director of Sixth Form can waive criteria in exceptional circumstances, which may help borderline applicants, but families should not rely on that as the default route.

Parents considering admission should use the FindMySchoolMap Search to understand realistic school choices based on their address, and to plan preferences that reflect likely offer patterns.

Pastoral systems tend to be most convincing when they are visible in day-to-day behaviour and safeguarding culture. Coombeshead’s 2023 inspection evidence points to pupils feeling welcomed and supported, with strong staff pupil relationships. Bullying is described as occurring sometimes, with leaders taking action to address it, and some younger pupils wanting clearer follow-up communication, which is a useful prompt for families to ask how feedback loops work after incidents are reported.

The safeguarding judgement in the same inspection is clear, and families should still look at the school’s current safeguarding information, staff training approach, and referral pathways, particularly around online safety and peer-on-peer issues.

This is an area where Coombeshead has unusually specific evidence in the public domain. The 2023 inspection describes over 20 clubs each week, with concrete examples including:

• Latin

• Plant care

• A community orchestra

• A range of sports

That range is a practical indicator of breadth, from academic stretch (Latin), to hands-on responsibility (plant care), to ensemble music that requires sustained commitment. The inspection also notes that some pupils do not take part as much as they could, which may be about confidence, transport, or competing responsibilities. Parents of quieter pupils may want to ask how staff encourage participation beyond the most confident joiners.

The school’s creative identity is reinforced by the presence of the Bushell Theatre, supporting drama and performance opportunities at scale. If your child is arts-inclined, ask how CREATE Creative Arts Academy relates to the wider curriculum and enrichment programme, and whether it offers a structured pathway or primarily co-curricular opportunities.

The school publishes term dates, calendar information, transport guidance, and a dedicated sixth form area. For transport, Devon County Council is the appropriate route for most school travel queries, and post-16 transport entitlements differ from compulsory school age. Newton Abbot’s local transport links make commuting feasible for some sixth formers, but families should plan for time, cost, and consistency across a full week, particularly if courses operate across more than one site.

• Sixth form outcomes are a key question. The A-level profile sits below England averages on the published measures. Students who need high structure should ask what supervised study, catch-up, and attendance monitoring look like in Year 12 and Year 13.

• Assessment consistency varies by subject. The inspection identifies that not every subject uses assessment sharply enough to identify and address gaps. Families may want to ask how leaders ensure consistency across departments.

• Competition for places exists. With more applications than offers in the published figures, admission is not automatic. Plan preferences with care and keep alternatives realistic.

• Participation is available, but not universal. The club range is strong, yet some pupils do not engage fully. Consider whether your child is likely to opt in, and what support helps them take that step.

Coombeshead Academy is best understood as a large, comprehensive secondary with clear expectations, a broad curriculum intent, and a distinctive enrichment offer that includes Latin, music ensembles, and practical clubs. GCSE outcomes sit around the middle of England schools on the available measures, while the sixth form performance indicators signal that course choice, study habits, and support structures matter a great deal here. It suits families who want a local state secondary with breadth beyond the timetable, and students who respond well to routines and structured support, particularly at Key Stage 4.