Best secondary schools in Devon (2026)
Devon has 64 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Colyton Grammar School, in the top 1% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 47.4, against 46.1 for England. 7 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 7 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 1% in England |
Colyton Grammar School Colyford · Grammar |
79.4 | 78.8 | 99% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 3% in England |
Devonport High School for Girls Plymouth · Grammar · Girls |
74.2 | 73.8 | 98% | Good | |
3 Top 4% in England |
Devonport High School for Boys Plymouth · Grammar · Boys |
69.1 | 69.3 | 94% | Good | |
4 Top 4% in England |
Torquay Girls' Grammar School Paignton · Grammar · Girls |
69.2 | 68.6 | 90% | Outstanding | |
5 Top 4% in England |
Churston Ferrers Grammar School Academy Brixham · Grammar |
69.0 | 71.2 | 96% | Good | |
6 Top 4% in England |
Torquay Boys' Grammar School Paignton · Grammar · Boys |
68.0 | 70.8 | 93% | Report card | |
7 Top 5% in England |
Plymouth High School for Girls Plymouth · Grammar · Girls |
65.5 | 65.5 | 90% | No rating | |
8 Top 15% in England |
Chulmleigh Community College Chulmleigh |
54.8 | 54.1 | 61% | No rating | |
9 Top 16% in England |
Uffculme School Uffculme |
54.2 | 52.8 | 58% | Not judged | |
10 Top 19% in England |
Ivybridge Community College Ivybridge |
52.7 | 55.2 | 72% | Good | |
11 Top 20% in England |
St Peter's Church of England Aided School Exeter · Church of England |
52.3 | 53.0 | 61% | Not judged | |
12 Top 21% in England |
The King's School Ottery St Mary |
52.6 | 51.9 | 56% | Not judged | |
13 Top 23% in England |
Braunton Academy Braunton |
52.0 | 53.7 | 61% | No rating | |
14 Top 29% in England |
Kingsbridge Academy Kingsbridge |
49.6 | 49.6 | 54% | Good | |
15 Top 32% in England |
Hele's School Plymouth |
49.3 | 50.7 | 54% | No rating | |
16 Top 34% in England |
West Exe School Exeter |
48.2 | 47.0 | 51% | Report card | |
17 Top 36% in England |
Queen Elizabeth's Crediton |
48.2 | 46.2 | 50% | Report card | |
18 Top 37% in England |
Scott Medical and Healthcare College Plymouth |
49.1 | 43.5 | 36% | Good | |
19 Top 38% in England |
St James School Exeter |
47.5 | 46.9 | 53% | No rating | |
20 Top 42% in England |
The Ilfracombe Church of England Academy Ilfracombe · Church of England |
47.2 | 47.9 | 51% | Report card | |
21 Top 42% in England |
Coombe Dean School Plymouth |
47.6 | 49.2 | 48% | Report card | |
22 Top 42% in England |
Torquay Academy Torquay |
46.9 | 47.6 | 49% | No rating | |
23 Top 44% in England |
South Dartmoor Community College Ashburton |
46.4 | 47.7 | 52% | Not judged | |
24 Top 45% in England |
St Luke's Church of England School Exeter · Church of England |
46.2 | 45.3 | 51% | Good | |
25 Top 45% in England |
Isca Academy Exeter |
46.4 | 46.4 | 47% | No rating | |
26 Top 45% in England |
The Park Community School Barnstaple |
46.7 | 46.6 | 48% | Not judged | |
27 Top 47% in England |
Sidmouth College Sidmouth |
45.4 | 45.9 | 55% | Report card | |
28 Top 48% in England |
Plymstock School Plymouth |
46.2 | 47.3 | 50% | Good | |
29 Top 49% in England |
Cranbrook Education Campus Cranbrook (East Devon) |
45.5 | 46.0 | 44% | Good | |
30 Top 50% in England |
King Edward VI Community College Totnes |
46.2 | 44.6 | 36% | No rating | |
31 Bottom 49% in England |
Lipson Co-operative Academy Plymouth |
45.5 | 43.5 | 42% | Report card | |
32 Bottom 49% in England |
Cullompton Community College Cullompton |
45.1 | 45.1 | 45% | Good | |
33 Bottom 48% in England |
Clyst Vale Community College Broadclyst |
45.5 | 44.5 | 40% | Good | |
34 Bottom 45% in England |
Okehampton College Okehampton |
44.3 | 43.2 | 40% | Report card | |
35 Bottom 44% in England |
South Molton Community College South Molton |
44.4 | 45.9 | 50% | Not judged | |
36 Bottom 43% in England |
Great Torrington School Great Torrington |
43.5 | 39.0 | 35% | No rating | |
37 Bottom 41% in England |
Coombeshead Academy Newton Abbot |
44.2 | 46.8 | 49% | Good | |
38 Bottom 40% in England |
Exmouth Community College Exmouth |
43.8 | 46.1 | 41% | Requires improvement | |
39 Bottom 40% in England |
Honiton Community College Honiton |
44.2 | 40.4 | 36% | Not judged | |
40 Bottom 40% in England |
Teign School Kingsteignton |
44.1 | 44.7 | 40% | Good | |
41 Bottom 39% in England |
The Spires College Torquay |
43.0 | 44.5 | 51% | No rating | |
42 Bottom 36% in England |
Bideford College Bideford |
42.2 | 45.7 | 50% | Report card | |
43 Bottom 36% in England |
Pilton Community College Barnstaple |
43.4 | 46.4 | 45% | Good | |
44 Bottom 34% in England |
Plympton Academy Plymouth |
42.6 | 43.1 | 44% | Requires improvement | |
45 Bottom 32% in England |
Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road Teignmouth |
41.9 | 42.3 | 38% | Not judged | |
46 Bottom 32% in England |
Marine Academy Plymouth Plymouth |
42.8 | 43.6 | 33% | Good | |
47 Bottom 31% in England |
Tavistock College Tavistock |
42.3 | 41.6 | 33% | Requires improvement | |
48 Bottom 30% in England |
Newton Abbot College Newton Abbot |
42.6 | 40.5 | 28% | Not judged | |
49 Bottom 29% in England |
Dartmouth Academy Dartmouth |
42.5 | 45.3 | 46% | Good | |
50 Bottom 28% in England |
Axe Valley Academy Axminster |
41.4 | 39.2 | 30% | Good | |
51 Bottom 27% in England |
Atlantic Academy Torridge |
40.4 | 42.1 | 42% | Good | |
52 Bottom 27% in England |
Tor Bridge High Plymouth |
40.9 | 40.4 | 42% | Good | |
53 Bottom 25% in England |
Notre Dame RC School Plymouth · Girls · Roman Catholic |
42.0 | 43.3 | 34% | Report card | |
54 Bottom 25% in England |
Eggbuckland Community College Plymouth |
41.2 | 42.3 | 38% | Requires improvement | |
55 Bottom 20% in England |
Holsworthy Community College Holsworthy |
40.0 | 39.9 | 41% | No rating | |
56 Bottom 18% in England |
All Saints Church of England Academy Plymouth · Church of England |
39.6 | 41.4 | 37% | Good | |
57 Bottom 16% in England |
Stoke Damerel Community College Plymouth |
39.2 | 35.9 | 24% | Report card | |
58 Bottom 15% in England |
Dawlish College Dawlish |
39.6 | 38.9 | 25% | No rating | |
59 Bottom 14% in England |
Brixham College Brixham |
38.2 | 36.7 | 22% | Report card | |
60 Bottom 13% in England |
St Boniface's RC College Plymouth · Boys · Roman Catholic |
38.6 | 39.0 | 25% | Not judged | |
61 Bottom 11% in England |
St Cuthbert Mayne School Torquay · Roman Catholic/Church of England |
37.9 | 39.7 | 26% | Not judged | |
62 Bottom 11% in England |
Paignton Academy Paignton |
37.8 | 36.9 | 25% | Not judged | |
63 Bottom 3% in England |
Millbay Academy Plymouth |
33.6 | 36.9 | 27% | Good | |
64 Bottom 3% in England |
Thomas Hall School Exeter |
33.2 | 34.6 | 25% | Requires improvement |
Best secondary school in each town
- Plymouth · best: Devonport High School for Girls
- Paignton · best: Torquay Girls' Grammar School
- Exeter · best: St Peter's Church of England Aided School
- Torquay · best: Torquay Academy
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Devon?
On exam results over the last three years, Colyton Grammar School is the top-ranked secondary school in Devon, in the top 1% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.