Sidmouth College, Sidmouth

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Sidmouth College on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including post-16 students, progress well through the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils' attendance is in line with the national average."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders assess pupils' needs accurately."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders understand the school's context, strengths and areas for further development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders plan and implement a suitable personal development programme."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality and suitability of the post-16 study programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that they embed teaching approaches that consistently remove barriers to pupils' learning"; "Leaders should strengthen achievement further so that more pupils and post-16 students achieve highly"; "Leaders should strengthen the impact of the personal development programme so that pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain".

In its own words: "Sidmouth College puts students first, has effective learning at the heart of all it does and promotes a climate of success and achievement for every student. We have a passion for, and a commitment to, the core purpose of education and focus relentlessly on each student's right to the very best provision."

Coming up: an open evening on Friday 20 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Sidmouth College 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.

49% 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 45.9.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.24: 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 43.2, against 46.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 3.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were History, Combined Science and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 106 families put Sidmouth College as their first choice and 194 named it as one of their preferences, for 122 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Sidmouth College is one of 18 schools run by The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.6 in 2024/25.

142 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sidmouth College (as of April 2026): 75% would recommend the school, 73% say their child is happy there and 55% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (75%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (55%).

Of the 150 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 72 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 28% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 46% into work. 16% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

3.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Sidmouth College.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sidmouth College (s-bound), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 47 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences 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, Sidmouth College issued 234 suspensions, 27.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Sidmouth College are Sidmouth Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles) and Sidbury Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.