Plymstock School, Plymouth

In its own words: "Click the link below, to read the review of Plymstock School by The Good Schools Guide "Children need powerful knowledge to understand and interpret the world."

From the headteacher's welcome: ""Children need powerful knowledge to understand and interpret the world. Without it they remain dependent upon those who have it or misuse it." Plymstock School is a vibrant, diverse, inclusive and ambitious community where staff and students, in partnership with their parents and carers, work towards our vision of achieving excellence through our curriculum and culture."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, basketball, badminton, drama, chess, STEM, journalism, book club and homework club.

In 2026, pupils at Plymstock School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.3 in Plymouth and 47 across England.

55% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 49% in Plymouth and 47% in England.

That is up from 47.3 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0: 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 44.1, against 52.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 24 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 142 families put Plymstock School as their first choice and 463 named it as one of their preferences, for 226 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 Plymstock School are Coombe Dean School (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.6); Lipson Co-operative Academy (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.6); Hele's School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.4); and Plymouth High School for Girls (2.4 miles, selective, Attainment 8 65.7).

Plymstock School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Plymstock School is one of 31 schools run by Westcountry Schools Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.4 in 2024/25.

Of the 278 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 8% to an apprenticeship and 0% into work.

Of the 111 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 45% went on to university or other higher education, 13% to apprenticeships and 30% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 177 pupils (11.7%) received SEN support and 43 (2.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Plymouth Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Plymstock School (s-bound), 70 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Plymstock School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 58 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Plymouth (196).

In 2024/25, Plymstock School issued 289 suspensions, 18 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Plymstock School are Pomphlett Primary School (0.3 miles), Goosewell Primary Academy (0.5 miles), Morley Meadow Primary School (0.6 miles) and Oreston Community Academy (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.