South Devon UTC, Newton Abbot

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades South Devon UTC 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 deepen their knowledge and skills over time in their specialist qualifications."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Many pupils join the school with significant levels of absence historically."

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

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Many pupils face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, trustees and local governors share an ambitious vision for pupils."

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

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that the post-16 provision meets students' needs, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should reduce pupil absence further, so that pupils have high attendance and benefit further from the school's curriculum and wider personal development offer"; "Leaders should ensure that the school's wider programme for pupils' personal development is tailored more precisely to pupils' needs, so that they have a wide range of opportunities to develop personally".

In its own words: "Developing a new generations of Engineers, Health Scientists and Digital Technology leaders who will transform the world we live in. To present to the workforce resilient students who are competent, technically capable and innovative contributors to a just and tolerant society."

From the headteacher's welcome: "South Devon UTC opened in 2015 as an engineering centre with specialist equipment which enriches and enhances the educational experience for students. Since March 2021 the UTC has become part of Education South West, a large multi academy trust stretching across South Devon."

Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at South Devon UTC averaged an Attainment 8 score of 24.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Devon and 47 across England.

10% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Devon and 47% in England.

That is down from 25.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -1.29: pupils made well 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 18.8, against 27.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 10 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Engineering Studies, Combined Science and Childcare Skills.

Across Devon, 93% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Devon lodged 66 appeals against secondary school offers; 48 reached a hearing and 10 succeeded (20.8% of those heard).

The nearest other state secondary schools to South Devon UTC are Newton Abbot College (0.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.9); Coombeshead Academy (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); Teign School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.5); and Torquay Boys' Grammar School (4.5 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 70).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than South Devon UTC.

South Devon UTC 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.

21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about South Devon UTC (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 76% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (76%).

Of the 62 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 42% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 30 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 13% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 43% into work.

34.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 3.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 81 pupils (44%) received SEN support and 17 (9.2%) 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 Newton Abbot Rail Station, about 600 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Council Offices (sw-bound), 130 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 237 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, South Devon UTC issued 121 suspensions, 62.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to South Devon UTC are Bearnes Voluntary Primary School (0.2 miles), All Saints Marsh CofE Academy (0.2 miles), Wolborough Church of England Nursery and Primary School (0.3 miles) and Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.