West Exe School, Exeter
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
West Exe School provides effective teaching where pupils make good progress and achieve well, particularly in science. The school is especially strong at supporting pupils with additional needs, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, ensuring they receive tailored help to succeed. With a broad range of extracurricular activities and a strong careers programme, the school helps pupils develop wider talents and prepare confidently for their future.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve particularly well in science and mathematics, with above-average GCSE results in English and mathematics
- Strong support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, who generally achieve in line with national averages
- Comprehensive personal development programme including the 'West Exe Baccalaureate' covering healthy relationships, online safety, and mental health
- Wide range of extracurricular activities through the 'electives' programme, from board games to climbing and musical performances
- Effective careers guidance with work experience, careers fairs, and university visits
Areas for Improvement
- Persistent absence remains a concern, particularly among disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, who attend below national averages
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding well enough to help them deepen their knowledge
- Teaching does not consistently develop the accuracy of pupils' written language
- Leaders need to gain more precise insights into the impact of their work to drive further improvements
- Older pupils do not attend as well as younger pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Board games, fitness, school productions, musical concerts, climbing, work experience, careers fairs, university visits, national and international trips (Paris, Munich), student leadership roles (prefects, anti-bullying ambassadors, sports leaders), clubs and activities
West Exe School is a secondary school in Exeter where pupils generally make good progress and are ready for their next stages of learning. The school has an open culture of safeguarding where concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils feel safe.
At a Glance
21.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
27.4
Avg class size
41
Total classes
15 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
1,237 pupils
1,300 capacity
63 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Exeter
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Exeter
Admissions Demand - Devon
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(103)
House Prices
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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.
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.
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.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.03243%
Overall absence
26.03274%
Persistent absence
1,283
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
West Exe School
Alphington Primary School
St Thomas Primary School
Bowhill Primary School
Montgomery Primary School
Ide Primary School
St Leonard's (CofE) Primary School
Exeter Cathedral School
St Gabriel's CofE Primary School
St David's CofE Primary School
Newtown Primary School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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