Best Schools in Devon

How many schools are there in Devon?

Devon has 551 open schools: 399 state primary, 70 state secondary or all-through, 19 independent, 50 special and 13 others.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Devon are rated Outstanding?

35 schools in Devon were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Vranch House School, Oakwood Specialist College, Blackford Education (Schools) Ltd t/a the Libra School, Mill Ford School, Prince Rock Primary School and 30 more. Counting Good as well, 91% of the 453 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Vranch House SchoolOakwood Specialist CollegeBlackford Education (Schools) Ltd t/a the Libra SchoolMill Ford SchoolPrince Rock Primary School

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Devon get the best GCSE results?

Of the 75 schools in Devon with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at Colyton Grammar School (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 78.3 and 99% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Devonport High School for Girls (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 74.9 and 97% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and Torquay Boys' Grammar School (selective grammar), with an Attainment 8 score of 70 and 95% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Selective schools admit by ability, so their raw results are not a like-for-like comparison with comprehensives. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

Colyton Grammar SchoolDevonport High School for GirlsTorquay Boys' Grammar School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Devon have the best SATs results?

3 of the 357 primary schools in Devon with 2025 Key Stage 2 results had every pupil reach the expected standard in both reading and maths: Chagford Church of England Primary School, Christow Primary School and St Mary's Church of England Primary School. Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Chagford Church of England Primary SchoolChristow Primary SchoolSt Mary's Church of England Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Devon?

Yes. Devon has 7 state grammar schools, including Churston Ferrers Grammar School Academy, Colyton Grammar School, Devonport High School for Boys, Devonport High School for Girls, Plymouth High School for Girls and Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Grammar schools admit pupils by ability through an entrance test, usually sat at the start of Year 6.

Churston Ferrers Grammar School AcademyColyton Grammar SchoolDevonport High School for BoysDevonport High School for GirlsPlymouth High School for GirlsTorquay Boys' Grammar School

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Devon have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Devon have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Devon?

Apply to your council - Devon, Plymouth or Torbay, depending on your address - through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.