Coombeshead Academy, Newton Abbot

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Coombeshead Academy , a proud member of Education South West and a school at the heart of Newton Abbot, committed to helping every student flourish."

In 2026, pupils at Coombeshead Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Devon and 47 across England.

46% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Devon and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 46.8.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.12: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.9, against 48.2 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 154 families put Coombeshead Academy as their first choice and 305 named it as one of their preferences, for 175 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Coombeshead Academy are Newton Abbot College (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.9); South Devon UTC (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 24.5); Teign School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.5); and Torquay Boys' Grammar School (4.9 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 70).

Coombeshead Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Coombeshead Academy is one of 14 schools run by Education South West, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.2 in 2024/25.

Of the 112 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 60% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 42 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 26% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 52% into work. 2% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (5%).

Coombeshead Academy had 71 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Newton Abbot Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Coombeshead School (ne-bound), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 162 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Coombeshead Academy issued 185 suspensions, 21.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Coombeshead Academy are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.1 miles), Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School (0.3 miles), Wolborough Church of England Nursery and Primary School (0.6 miles) and Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.