Coombe Dean School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Charnhill Way Elburton Plymouth Devon PL9 8ES |
| Phone | 01752406961 |
| Reference Number | 136558 |
Coombe Dean School is performing well overall, with notable strengths in leadership, curriculum design, and inclusive practices. The school offers a broad, ambitious curriculum that is effectively delivered by knowledgeable teachers, resulting in pupils being well-prepared for their next educational steps. The inclusive culture and strong support systems in place for pupils with additional needs have created a sense of community and belonging, allowing these students to thrive alongside their peers. However, there are some challenges in achieving consistently high published outcomes across all subjects, although improvements are being observed over time.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1003 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 56.93%
Girls: 43.07% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 20.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 20.3% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 23.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 105 | 75 | 180 |
| 8 | 102 | 77 | 179 |
| 9 | 96 | 80 | 176 |
| 10 | 89 | 78 | 167 |
| 11 | 110 | 62 | 172 |
| 12 | 32 | 37 | 69 |
| 13 | 37 | 23 | 60 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 74.4% |
| White, Other | 7.9% |
| Unclassified | 5.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.4% |
| African | 2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| Indian | 0.8% |
| Chinese | 0.7% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.5% |
| Caribbean | 0.5% |
| Asian, Other | 0.3% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Pakistani | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Expected standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Strong standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| > Post-16 Provision | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 03 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 22 Mar 2022 | School inspection |
| 28 Nov 2018 | Full inspection |
| 26 Sep 2012 | Full inspection |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 20 May 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| Previously as Coombe Dean School | |
| 20 May 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 11 Mar 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Mar 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 25 Sep 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 25 Sep 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 18 May 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 18 May 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Oct 1999 | Full inspection |
| 04 Oct 1999 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Broad and ambitious curriculum that builds on prior learning.
- Strong inclusion practices with effective support for SEND pupils.
- High-quality support for disadvantaged pupils, helping them to catch up.
- Well-structured teaching strategies that enhance learning and retention.
- Strong focus on literacy and communication skills across subjects.
- Positive relationships and a caring environment among pupils and staff.
- Effective career guidance and extracurricular opportunities fostering student aspirations.
Areas for Improvement
- Published outcomes across subjects are not fully reflective of student achievement.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 49.2 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 48.5% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 68.6% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 34.57 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 35.5 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | B- | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 25% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 157 | 4 |
| Third Preference | 79 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 71 | 17 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Goosewell Primary Academy
Goosewell Road, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 9HD |
0.26 miles |
|
Elburton Primary School
Haye Road South, Elburton, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 8HJ |
0.64 miles |
|
Pomphlett Primary School
Howard Road, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 7ES |
1 miles |
|
Sherford Vale School & Nursery
Hercules Road, Gb, Sherford, PL9 8FA |
1.23 miles |
|
Morley Meadow Primary School
51 Encombe Street, Plymouth, PL9 7GN |
1.29 miles |
|
Oreston Community Academy
Oreston Road, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 7JY |
1.35 miles |
|
Hooe Primary Academy
Hooe Road, Hooe, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 9RG |
1.52 miles |
|
St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Elliott's Hill, Brixton, Plymouth, Devon, PL8 2AG |
1.85 miles |
|
Wembury Primary School
Knighton Road, Wembury, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 0EB |
1.9 miles |
|
Prince Rock Primary School
Embankment Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 9JF |
2.04 miles |
|
Plympton St Maurice Primary School
Plympton Hill, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1UB |
2.3 miles |
|
Laira Green Primary School
Bramley Road, Laira, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 6BP |
2.42 miles |
|
Plympton St Mary's CofE Infant School
8 Market Road, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1QW |
2.46 miles |
|
Salisbury Road Primary School
Salisbury Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8QZ |
2.48 miles |
|
Old Priory Junior Academy
Ridgeway, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1QN |
2.49 miles |
|
Lipson Vale Primary School
Bernice Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7HW |
2.59 miles |
|
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
2 Beaumont Road, St Jude's, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 9BE |
2.66 miles |
|
High View School
2 Torridge Way, Efford, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 6JQ |
2.66 miles |
|
Yealmpstone Farm Primary School
Meadowfield Place, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1XQ |
2.68 miles |
|
Woodford Primary School
Litchaton Way, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 4RR |
2.74 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Plymstock School
Church Road, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 9AZ |
0.69 miles |
|
Longcause Community Special School
Longcause, Plympton St Maurice, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 1JB |
2.44 miles |
|
Lipson Co-operative Academy
Bernice Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7PG |
2.59 miles |
|
Plympton Academy
Moorland Road, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 2RS |
2.61 miles |
|
Hele's School
Seymour Road, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 4LT |
2.66 miles |
|
Plymouth High School for Girls
St Lawrence Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 6HT |
3.07 miles |
|
Plymouth College
|
3.35 miles |
|
Millbay Academy
22 Millbay Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3EG |
3.46 miles |
|
Chapel Bridge School
99 Craigie Drive, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3JL |
3.65 miles |
|
Eggbuckland Community College
Westcott Close, Eggbuckland, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 5YB |
3.73 miles |
|
Devonport High School for Boys
Paradise Road, Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QP |
3.94 miles |
|
Stoke Damerel Community College
Somerset Place, Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 4BD |
4.03 miles |
|
Scott Medical and Healthcare College
Somerset Place, Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 4BD |
4.03 miles |
|
Cann Bridge School
23 Eden Valley Gardens, Estover, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8EE |
4.06 miles |
|
Tor Bridge High
Miller Way, Estover, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8UN |
4.06 miles |
|
City College Plymouth
Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QG |
4.17 miles |
|
Devonport High School for Girls
Lyndhurst Road, Peverell, Plymouth, Devon, PL2 3DL |
4.18 miles |
|
St Boniface's RC College
21 Boniface Lane, Crownhill, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 3AG |
4.34 miles |
|
UTC Plymouth
Park Avenue, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 4RL |
4.59 miles |
|
All Saints Church of England Academy
Pennycross, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 3NE |
4.8 miles |