South Devon UTC, Newton Abbot

Good
Secondary
University technical college
Mixed
Ages 1419

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~474m)Possible (~677m)Unlikely (~880m)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Claire Plumb
Pupils:184 / 600 capacity
LA:Devon
Phone:01626240201
Address:Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2QA
Trust:EDUCATION SOUTH WEST
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2015

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:141749
UKPRN:10053985
Constituency:Newton Abbot
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

South Devon UTC excels at supporting pupils who have experienced disrupted education and those with significant additional needs. The school's specialist pathways in engineering, health, and digital technology give pupils real workplace experience and strong preparation for employment. Staff build trusting relationships with pupils and help them overcome barriers, resulting in improved attendance and positive behaviour.

Key Strengths

  • Effective support for pupils with complex needs and those facing significant barriers to learning
  • Strong industry-relevant specialist pathways that prepare pupils for employment
  • Caring culture where pupils feel known as individuals and behave well
  • Effective work experience and employer engagement, including links with NHS and manufacturing
  • Tailored careers advice and guidance helping pupils make informed decisions about next steps

Areas for Improvement

  • Pupils' cultural experiences and opportunities to develop talents and interests need strengthening
  • Published attendance data remains lower than national average despite improvements made
  • Published achievement data at key stage 4 does not reflect pupils' actual progress due to unique cohort

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Work experience in engineering and medical equipment manufacturing, work placements in hospital wards, mentoring younger pupils, leadership opportunities, Christmas food service, visits from employers including military and NHS

South Devon UTC serves a unique cohort of pupils, many with previous educational disruption and exceptionally high levels of special educational needs. The school effectively reduces barriers to learning and prepares pupils well for careers in engineering, health, and digital technologies.

At a Glance

38.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

18.2

Avg class size

9

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Train Stations

Newton Abbot Rail Station (Entrance)
604m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

Council Offices (SW-bound)
128m · 2 min walk
Cricketfield Surgery (opp)
170m · 3 min walk
Jetty Marsh (NE-bound)
206m · 3 min walk
The Avenue (NE-bound)
315m · 5 min walk
Post Office (W-bound)
332m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

31%

Available places

184 pupils

600 capacity

416 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Newton Abbot

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,680
Projected new pupils:302

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Newton Abbot

Admissions Demand - Devon

Low demand0.93x oversubscription

Places available

8,027

Applications

7,482

Got 1st preference

93.3%

Got preferred school

98.2%

Secondary admissions across Devon (2025/26)

Inspection History(8)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

18.00753%

Overall absence

51.02041%

Persistent absence

147

Enrolments

Authorised11.54773%
Unauthorised6.4598%
Persistent (10%+)51.02041%
Severe (50%+)10.88435%

Absence trend

9.9341%
18/19
21.74203%
20/21
24.59899%
21/22
23.83988%
22/23
18.36611%
23/24
18.00753%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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