The Spires College, Torquay

In its own words: "At The Spires College, our aim is simple: to make certain that every young person achieves their true potential. We want children to feel safe and secure at school and so we make sure that our college is welcoming and warm. Every child at The Spires College is entitled to disruption free learning."

In 2026, pupils at The Spires College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 49.6 in Torbay and 47 across England.

46% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 54% in Torbay and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 44.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.15: 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 39.5, against 47.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and History.

For September 2026 entry, 199 families put The Spires College as their first choice and 561 named it as one of their preferences, for 194 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 65 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Spires College are St Cuthbert Mayne School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42); Torquay Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.7); Torquay Girls' Grammar School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 68.4); and Torquay Boys' Grammar School (1.5 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 70).

The Spires College's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Spires College is run by its own single-school academy trust.

Of the 211 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 55% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 51 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 41% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 33% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

7.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The school has resourced provision for pupils with particular needs.

The Spires College had 84 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Torre Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westlands School (opposite), 180 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 528 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 Torbay (245), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Spires College issued 349 suspensions, 30.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Spires College are Ellacombe Church of England Academy (0.3 miles), All Saints Babbacombe CofE Primary School (0.4 miles), Homelands Primary School (0.4 miles) and St Margaret's Academy (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.