Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road Review 2026: A large community secondary focused on rebuilding outcomes

Purposeful change is the defining theme here. Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road is a mixed 11 to 18 academy in Devon with capacity for 1,200 pupils, and a sixth form that is positioned as a key part of the school’s improvement story. The current leadership team is clear about its ambition for pupils and staff to become “the best version of themselves”, and the most recent inspection evidence points to tangible progress, alongside areas that still need tightening, particularly at key stage 4.

For families, this is a school to judge on trajectory as much as on historic reputation. It offers a mainstream comprehensive experience, a broad curriculum, and a strong set of structured opportunities beyond lessons, from Ten Tors to rocketry and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE).

The school communicates its values in plain language and expects students to engage with them daily. Its stated ethos centres on turning up, getting involved, and behaving kindly, and that translates into an environment that is aiming to be orderly, ambitious, and outward-facing rather than insular.

Leadership is a major part of the current identity. Mrs Rachel Wickham is the headteacher, and the school’s own published material places her start at Teignmouth Community School in 2022, after earlier senior leadership and headship roles in Devon. This matters because much of the school’s recent narrative, including inspection commentary, is about what has changed and what is still bedding in.

The October 2024 inspection describes a school that has raised expectations around behaviour and learning routines, with many pupils able to learn without disruption, while also acknowledging that some students are still adjusting and that bullying remains a concern for some, particularly where issues are not resolved quickly enough to reassure those involved.

There is also a notable emphasis on reading culture and wider personal development. The inspection evidence highlights targeted support for weaker readers, with texts chosen to broaden cultural understanding and reflect difference. That kind of deliberate literacy focus often signals a school aiming to stabilise foundations before accelerating outcomes, and it is a sensible sequencing for a large comprehensive rebuilding performance.

Headline performance indicators sit below the England picture at present, and parents should read the data as a clear prompt to ask detailed questions about improvement strategy, subject consistency, and how learning gaps are identified and addressed.

At GCSE level, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 39.8 and Progress 8 is -0.42. EBacc outcomes are also low on this dataset, with 9.8% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc and an average EBacc APS of 3.48. These figures indicate that, for many students, outcomes at key stage 4 still lag behind what families typically want from an 11 to 16 mainstream secondary.

FindMySchool’s proprietary ranking based on official data places the school 2,938th in England for GCSE outcomes, and 1st in the local Teignmouth area list. In percentile terms, this sits below England average, within the bottom 40% of schools for this measure. For parents comparing options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and Comparison Tool are useful for checking how this profile looks against nearby alternatives and against your child’s likely pathway.

The sixth form dataset also points to work still to do. A-level results show 0% at A*, 5.56% at A, 25% at B, and 30.56% at A* to B combined. FindMySchool ranks the sixth form 2,242nd in England for A-level outcomes, again placing it below England average on this measure.

It is important, though, to hold results alongside the direction of travel described in inspection evidence. The school’s improvement narrative focuses on curriculum redesign and higher expectations, and the latest inspection explicitly frames sixth form outcomes as an area where improvements are stronger than at key stage 4, with a need to replicate that pattern lower down the school.

Teaching is framed around a broad and increasingly structured curriculum. External evidence suggests the curriculum has been strengthened to be more ambitious and coherent, with subjects mapping what pupils should know in order to build understanding over time.

Where the school still has to sharpen practice is assessment and adaptation. The inspection evidence is clear that assessment does not always identify starting points and misconceptions precisely enough, which can leave some pupils without the right support or stretch. That has a direct implication for families: if your child needs carefully calibrated scaffolding, or if they are highly able and require consistent challenge, you will want to understand how this works in the subjects they care about most.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is also described as mixed. The inspection evidence indicates that identification and intent are in place, but staff do not always have sufficient information and training to adapt the curriculum as precisely as it should be for SEND learners, while sixth form students with additional needs are described as well supported. Parents of SEND pupils should probe the detail: what training has been delivered, how individual strategies are shared across teachers, and how progress is monitored in mainstream classrooms.

At post-16, the admissions policy material gives a useful window into academic expectations and course mix. It includes both A-level and vocational routes, and makes entry requirements explicit by subject, including higher thresholds for courses such as Further Mathematics (grade 8 in GCSE Mathematics) and English Literature (grade 7 in GCSE English Language or English Literature). This clarity can help students choose programmes that fit their profile rather than stretching for a course that is likely to become an unnecessary struggle.

The sixth form is an integral part of the school’s offer and is presented as a bridge to multiple routes, including higher education, apprenticeships, and employment. The inspection evidence highlights careers fairs, guest speakers, and visits to universities, alongside individual support for applications across higher education, apprenticeships, and employment.

On published destination data for the 2023/24 leaver cohort (58 students), 9% progressed to university, 12% started apprenticeships, and 43% entered employment. These figures suggest that, at present, the sixth form is functioning as a mixed pathway provider rather than a predominantly university pipeline. That may suit some students well, particularly those looking for employment-focused or apprenticeship routes, but families aiming for a strongly university-oriented sixth form should ask how these figures are expected to change as teaching and outcomes improve.

Because no verified Oxbridge numbers are published in the available school sources, and the Oxbridge dataset supplied here does not provide usable counts, it is not possible to make a substantiated statement about Oxford or Cambridge destinations.

For students who are undecided, the Teignmouth Scholars programme is designed to widen horizons from Year 9 upwards through structured enrichment such as university taster days, UCAS and apprenticeship fairs, debating and public speaking, and targeted guidance meetings. The implication is straightforward: students who engage early with these structured opportunities will usually be better placed to make realistic, confident post-16 and post-18 choices.

Year 7 entry is coordinated through Devon County Council rather than directly through the school. For September 2026 entry, applications opened on 1 September 2025 and closed on 31 October 2025, with offer day on 2 March 2026. Devon also notes that open evenings commonly run through September and October, and families should rely on the school’s own current calendar for specific dates each year.

The school’s published admissions policy for 2026/27 sets a Year 7 Published Admission Number (PAN) of 180. Oversubscription criteria follow the expected hierarchy for a state academy, prioritising looked after and previously looked after children, exceptional social or medical need, children of staff in defined circumstances, siblings, catchment, and then distance, with a randomiser used where distances are effectively equal. The same policy lists named linked primaries and confirms a defined catchment area, which is a key practical point for families moving into the area.

For post-16, the sixth form admissions policy is explicit that applications for Year 12 are not LA coordinated. External applicants apply directly to the school in the normal round between 1 September 2025 and 31 January 2026, with decisions by 28 February 2026 (conditional on exam results). Internal Year 11 students do not make a formal application to stay on, but they must meet the academic requirements for their chosen courses and complete the subject options process.

Given this is a catchment-linked comprehensive with a sixth form, families often benefit from a two-step approach to shortlisting. First, confirm admissions mechanics, catchment, and transport eligibility. Then, use tools such as FindMySchoolMap Search to sanity-check practical travel times and the feasibility of daily routines before you emotionally commit to a preference.

The school presents wellbeing as a core priority and backs that with visible structures, from mental health resources to clear behavioural expectations and personal development programming.

The current external evidence suggests the direction is positive but not yet fully consistent for all students. Behaviour expectations are described as clear, and many pupils report that learning can take place without disruption. At the same time, bullying is acknowledged as a concern for some, particularly where follow-up actions do not always resolve issues quickly enough to rebuild confidence. For parents, this is a prompt to ask practical questions during visits: how incidents are logged, how patterns are tracked across year groups, and how communication works with families when incidents span social media and school-based relationships.

Attendance is also a stated focus. The inspection evidence indicates some improvement but with attendance still below the wider benchmark, and it references a bespoke provision called the ‘Bridge’ facility to re-engage pupils with school life. This type of internal alternative space can be valuable when used early and thoughtfully, particularly for students struggling with routines or anxiety.

Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular life is a strength in the evidence base, and it is also where the school most clearly communicates its expectations about student participation. The key point for families is not simply that activities exist, but that several are structured, time-intensive, and skills-based, which can be a real fit factor for different children.

STEM

UK Youth Rocketry is unusually distinctive for a mainstream comprehensive, and the school describes it as an annual club that prepares teams to compete in the UK Youth Rocketry challenge. It also reports a significant recent achievement, being crowned National Champions in 2025 out of 166 teams. The implication is that students with an engineering, physics, or design mindset can find a serious platform here, with deadlines, iteration, and competitive standards that mirror real-world project work.

Outdoor challenge and character education

Ten Tors is treated as a long training programme rather than a one-off trip. The school’s published updates reference training over multiple weekends and participation with both 35 mile and 45 mile teams, including navigation practice and progressively longer distances. For students who respond well to endurance, teamwork, and practical responsibility, Ten Tors can become a defining part of school life, and it often builds confidence that transfers back into learning routines.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is also a prominent strand, with the school promoting Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels and communicating how students can join. This provides a recognised framework for volunteering, skills development, physical activity, and expedition planning, which is particularly valuable for students who need structured motivation beyond grades.

Service and student leadership

The Charity Committee is a concrete example of leadership opportunities being available from Year 7 through to sixth form. The school describes it as a group of about 50 students who organise termly fundraising events for a chosen charity, with recent examples including a school cake sale raising nearly £300. For parents, this is a useful indicator of how student voice can be channelled into responsibility and community contribution, rather than being limited to token roles.

Sustainability and culture-building

The Green Team is positioned as student-led, with practical projects such as school and beach litter picks, classroom recycling bins, planters, and biodiversity initiatives. It meets weekly after school. For students who care about climate and community change, this is a straightforward way to find like-minded peers and contribute to visible, local projects.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for normal secondary costs such as uniform, equipment, optional trips, and activity-related expenses, with larger items more likely at key stage 4 and in the sixth form.

The published structure of the school day shows Period 1 starting at 08:45, with the final teaching period ending at 15:15, and tutor time, assembly, daily reading time, and two breaks built into the day.

Transport is a realistic consideration in Devon, particularly for families outside the immediate town. The admissions information indicates that Devon County Council transport eligibility may apply for pupils living in catchment who are more than three miles away by the shortest walking route, and the school directs families to the council’s transport policy for full detail. For public transport, Teignmouth benefits from established bus and rail links, including services on Stagecoach route 2 connecting Teignmouth with Dawlish, Exminster, and Exeter, and rail services from Teignmouth towards Exeter St David’s.

• Key stage 4 outcomes remain a challenge. Progress 8 is -0.42 and Attainment 8 is 39.8 in the provided dataset, which indicates that many pupils are not yet finishing Year 11 with the outcomes families typically seek. Ask how subject leaders are using assessment to identify gaps early, and how consistency is being secured across departments.

• Bullying concerns need close scrutiny. External evidence indicates bullying remains a concern for some pupils, particularly where incidents are not resolved quickly enough to reassure those involved. Families should ask to see how reporting works, how patterns are tracked, and what escalation looks like when issues repeat.

• SEND adaptation is not yet consistently strong across the main school. The evidence points to improved identification but insufficient information and training for staff to adapt the curriculum precisely enough for SEND pupils, while post-16 support is described as stronger. Parents should look for concrete systems, not just intent.

• Post-16 destinations are mixed rather than strongly university-led. For the 2023/24 cohort, 9% progressed to university, 12% to apprenticeships, and 43% to employment. This may suit many students, but those targeting selective university routes should probe subject results, reference writing support, and how university applications are coached.

Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road is best understood as a large comprehensive on a clear improvement pathway, with stronger evidence of structured curriculum work and personal development than of consistently high key stage 4 outcomes. The extracurricular offer is a genuine differentiator, particularly in STEM and outdoor challenge, and the school provides multiple channels for leadership and participation.

It will suit families who want a local, non-selective secondary with an established sixth form, who value structured opportunities such as rocketry, Ten Tors, and DofE, and who are prepared to engage actively with the school on learning, behaviour, and wellbeing. The primary trade-off is that academic outcomes, particularly at GCSE, still need to catch up with the ambition.