Dawlish College, Dawlish
Dawlish College is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Dawlish, part of Ivy Education Trust. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 38th-highest of the 40 schools in Devon with published results, and 2,763rd of 3,298 across England. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Dawlish College in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at Dawlish College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Devon and 47 across England.
28% 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 38.9.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.09: pupils made about 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 29, against 43.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.4 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.
Getting a place at Dawlish College
For September 2026 entry, 122 families put Dawlish College as their first choice and 168 named it as one of their preferences, for 129 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Dawlish College are Teignmouth Community School, Exeter Road (2.8 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 42.1); and Exmouth Community College (3.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.8).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than Dawlish College.
Teignmouth Community School, Exeter RoadExmouth Community College
The trust
Dawlish College is one of 8 schools run by Ivy Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.9 in 2024/25.
What parents say
130 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Dawlish College (as of September 2025): 55% would recommend the school, 72% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (72%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 118 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 81% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Who goes there
3.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dawlish Rail Station, about 440 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Community College (se-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 81 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Dawlish College issued 621 suspensions, 80 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Dawlish College are Gatehouse Primary Academy (0.5 miles) and Westcliff Primary Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Dawlish College has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in December 2019. Before that, as Dawlish College (URN 113518), it was rated Good in March 2019.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Dawlish College welcomes pupils warmly and creates a calm, supportive learning environment where behaviour has improved. Teachers understand individual pupil needs, especially those with SEND, and provide tailored support. The school goes beyond academics, offering daily activities like gardening, sports, and creative pursuits to build confidence and develop well-rounded young people.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with knowledge and skills clearly sequenced so pupils build on previous learning
- Quick identification of pupils with SEND and effective support tailored to their needs
- Strong reading support with phonics teaching and regular guided reading practice
- Well-established behaviour routines and expectations, leading to improved pupil conduct
- Excellent personal development programme offering diverse activities like gardening, sports, and creative pursuits
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, guidance for pupils on how to improve their learning is not clear or detailed enough
- Attendance remains a concern for some groups of pupils, impacting their learning progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils feeling safe and trusting staff to help with concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Watercolour painting, rugby, netball, school performances, school garden, careers fairs, work experience, student leadership and citizenship programme
Dawlish College has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. The school provides a warm, supportive environment where pupils feel safe and progress well through an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum.
At a Glance
30.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
130 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -0.21 to -0.09 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 39.3 to 39.1 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 28% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 39.1 | 27.6% |
| Disadvantaged(47) | - | 29.0 | 12.8% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(109) | - | 43.4 | 33.9% |
| Boys(74) | - | 35.9 | 20.3% |
| Girls(82) | - | 41.9 | 34.1% |
Show more breakdowns (1)
| Non mobile(151) | - | 39.9 | 28.5% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 118 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
5
Permanent exclusions
0.64%
Exclusion rate
621
Suspensions
80.03%
Suspension rate
176 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 776 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Dawlish College
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Dawlish College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Dawlish College is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot.
7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Dawlish College
Will you get a place at Dawlish College? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Dawlish College's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Dawlish College:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Dawlish College.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Dawlish College for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Devon got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
765 pupils
750 places
15 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dawlish
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dawlish
Across Devon council
Places available
7,788
Applications
7,251
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
157
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
25.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
782
Total Pupils
411
Boys
371
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
48
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,952
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,934
Per pupil
£5688k
Total funding
£237k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.4%
Overall absence
31.9%
Persistent absence
795
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Dawlish College
Questions parents ask about Dawlish College
What are GCSE results like at Dawlish College?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Dawlish College achieved an Attainment 8 score of 39.1. 28% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Dawlish College's Ofsted rating?
Dawlish College has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in December 2019. Before that, as Dawlish College (URN 113518), it was rated Good in March 2019.
What is the catchment area for Dawlish College?
No fixed boundary. When Dawlish College is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Dawlish College?
Dawlish College was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Dawlish College?
Classes at Dawlish College average 26.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Dawlish College?
Dawlish College has around 782 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Dawlish College?
11.4% of sessions were missed at Dawlish College in 2024/25. 31.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Dawlish College?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming Dawlish College on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Dawlish College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot. 7 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dawlish College?
Dawlish College is at Elm Grove Road, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0BY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)